Hope for Hard Hit Charities
Two websites, Inlieuofagift.com and Inlieuof.com help increase individual donations to charities at a time when corporate donations are decreasing. Inlieuofagift.com delivers electronic invitations with a "donate now" button associated with the charity of the host's choice. Children are asked to sacrifice only one gift per party. Inlieuof.com offers a donate now button attached to electronic obituaries.
New Canaan, CT (PRWEB) November 15, 2008 -- Hope for Hard Hit Charities! Tough economic times cause charities to suffer. Two new websites, Inlieuofagift.com (which coordinates charitable donations and gift-giving celebrations) and Inlieuof.com (which coordinates charitable donations in memory of a decedent) hope to increase individual donations in an effort to offset decreasing corporate donations.
On October 27, 2008, USA Today reported:
"The economic crisis threatening the nation with the worst recession in decades has set off tremors among non-profits and charities large and small that rely on donations from Wall Street, industry and average Americans. September filing for bankruptcy court protection could take a financial toll on non-profits as disparate as Doctors Without Borders, an international group that supplies emergency medical aid, and the Grand Street Settlement, an organization that provides education and social services on Manhattan's Lower East Side."
Inlieuofagift.com links celebratory parties (birthday, anniversary, bar mitzvah, etc.) to charities via electronic invitations with a "Donate Now" button attached to each invitation. The host selects his favorite charity and sends out the invitations. Each invitee receives an electronic invitation with all of the party details as well as a message stating that in lieu of a gift, a donation may be made to a specified charity via the "Donate Now" button. The site lists the names of the donors, and the total amount raised, but not individual amounts (to respect donors' privacy). Tax receipts are generated instantly and sent to the donor via e-mail.
Young children's parties are different. The site randomly chooses one guest to make a donation. All of the other guests bring traditional gifts. That way, the child who is the party honoree sacrifices just one gift, and all the children attending the party learn a lesson in philanthropy.
Inlieuof.com offers customized electronic memorials consisting of a photo, obituary, guest book, service date and time, and directions. Most important, it offers a "Donate Now" button at the bottom of each obituary that links friends and family directly to the charity of the deceased's family's choice. Tax receipts are generated instantly and, as is the case with Inlieuofagift.com, donors' names and total amount raised are listed on the site (individual amounts are not posted).
The site gives friends and family a private, non-commercial space in which they may find important information, share fond memories, and honor the deceased with a memorial donation in his or her name.
Owners Brian and Jennifer Falvey of New Canaan, Connecticut began developing the websites two years ago, but the timing couldn't be more critical than it is right now. Jennifer says, "If we can just get the word out, hopefully individual donations will add up to the amount the charities stand to lose from corporate donors. As tough as times are for all of us, they're even worse for the needy."
The websites have no advertisers and the owners are committed to keeping it that way for the memorial site, Inlieuof.com, although they hope to attract advertisers to the party site. There is a $14.99 fee to use the sites, regardless of how many invitations/announcements - one or one thousand or more - are sent out. Recipients pay nothing to the site and their donations are 100% tax deductible. Donations are made to Justgive.org, a 501 (C) (3) organization that disburses the monies to the individual charities, and which is completely independent of Inlieuofagift.com and Inlieuof.com. Jennifer Falvey says, "I knew we needed to ensure ease of use, convenience, and accountability, but I was adamant that the money not come through us. At first we were simply going to provide links to the charities but there were problems with that model."
The Falveys learned that direct links to the charities would negate their ability to create tax receipts, donor lists, and total amounts raised, all of which encourage greater participation and donations. It also cuts out the neediest charities, most of which are not set up to accept electronic donations.
Instead, Inlieuofagift.com and Inlieuof.com work with Justgive.org, a 501 (C) (3) whose sole purpose is to collect donations and disburse them to designated charities. Justgive.org adds a $3.50 service charge per donation, which goes toward tax receipt creation, donor list upkeep, and mailing the check to the charity. Thus, if someone makes a $100.00 donation, the total amount charged to his credit card is $103.50. However, the entire amount is tax deductible. Paypal is also available. Donations can be tracked back to the individual charities via a confirmation number. Justgive.org was founded in 2000, partners with several Fortune 500 companies, and has an excellent reputation.
"People going to our sites are thinking of new and creative ways to use them all the time. We're really excited about the charitable potential," says Brian Falvey. "Our objective is to get more money to more charities. I hope the ease of use, convenience, and accountability offered by Inlieuofagift.com and Inlieuof.com will help to do exactly that!"
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