Micro Donations: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. For the 28th year, various charity organizations have gathered together to raise awareness about child abuse through education and prevention programs. This year celebrities and popular media outlets such as Ellen DeGeneres, Vicente Neil, Michael Bloomberg, American Idol, NY Nets, and Dancing with the Stars have stepped up to support breaking the cycle of child abuse. Part of that support includes donating items and experiences to Love Our Children USA’s upcoming auction, which runs from April 6th to 28th. People may bid or make online donations at www.charitybuzz.com.
This year also marks the 8th annual GET BLUE Campaign – a nationwide effort to promote Child Abuse Prevention. Love Our Children USA is urging people across the country to don blue ribbons in support of the campaign. The campaign is designed to educate families, friends, communities and caregivers about child abuse and neglect by breaking the cycle that perpetuates the crime against helpless victims. It also teaches people how to act in the face of child abuse through contacting various professional and charity organizations equipped to help with legal and counseling issues.
Love Our Children USA Founder and CEO, Ross Ellis said “Child abuse has reached epidemic proportions and the unnecessary tragedies we’ve seen in the last year calls for educating the public immediately and often.”
Making Micro Donations
People considering sending micro donations to agencies such as Love Our Children USA can rest assured that their contributions will help combat abuse against children, breaking the cycle of violence; people can make online donations at the charity’s website.
Micro Donations News: Stevie Wonder has announced a partnership with Ten O’Clock Classics, a non-profit organization that provides outlets, venues and educational services for up and coming classical musicians. The site hopes to inspire children to follow their dreams of pursuing careers in classical music. Wonder, a music legend, has made an amazing impact on the music industry since he wrote his first song at the age of ten.
Wonder has agreed to auction off a personalized Steinway Baby Grand Piano, complete with hand and finger prints or a signed fall board. The piano will go to the highest bidder with the proceeds to benefit Ten O’Clock Classics. The value of the piano is set at $60,000 and the bidding on the piano is open until March 30th. Bids can be placed online at CharityBuzz.com.
Charity Micro Donations
CharityBuzz.com is a site that assists various stars and high-level auctions in sending valuable items under the hammer. It also encourages micro donations and crowdfunding for worthy causes. The organization is well known for working with non-profits around the world through online donations, giving bidders the opportunity to win high level auctions while giving to charity.
Micro donations and crowdfunding are becoming increasingly popular, particularly since people have the opportunity to donate online. Previously, donations would have to be made over the phone or through the mail, which was a hindrance. People have often been hesitant to donate small amounts because it may have seemed like small amounts could not make a difference. Micro donations have made it possible for people to help on all levels, further benefiting the charities.
In support of micro donations to the Alzheimer’s Association, Patrick Dempsey, TV and movie star, is auctioning off a date at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Micro donations to the charity will help to support the organization while the highest bidder in the auction will get the chance to see Patrick up close and personal at the raceway. The winner will receive paddock and pit passes, a guided tour of the raceway and signed memorabilia. The event will take place on July 9th.
Patrick Dempsey is one of Hollywood’s most successful actors. Patrick has been in films and televeision since the 1980s and is perhaps most well know for his role as brain surgeon Derek Shepherd aka Dr. McDreamy on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Dempsey has made many movies including known to many as Dr. McDreamy. In addition, he continues to win us over on the big screen in popular films such as Enchanted, Can’t Buy Me Love, Made of Honor, and the soon to be released Flypaper and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Dempsey fell in love with racing many years ago. His passion has enabled him to drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500, Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Making a Micro Donation
Bids on the auction will be accepted until March 21. People wishing to make a donation can donate online through the website for CharityFolks.com. As a micro donations charity, the Alzheimer’s Association hopes to educate and fund research projects to find a cure for the disease.
MicroGiving.com has a unique history. Inspired by micro-lending and the story of Muhammad Yunus, MicroGiving’s founder and philanthropist John Ferber envisioned a place where anyone could find, connect and give micro donations to people in need.
In 2006– Bangladeshi economist, Muhammad Yunus, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the innovation of micro lending to poor people. This enabled those with little or no credit who don’t qualify for traditional bank loans, to receive funding to buy startup materials. Micro-lending eventually uprooted the poor and stimulated economies of third world countries.
Inspired by Yunus and the concept of micro lending, Baltimore born entrepreneur and philanthropist John Ferber envisioned a similar model, but instead of micro loans John envisioned micro giving, or the extension of micro donations.
In 2007– MicroGiving.com was born, a place that enables anyone to search, find and give as little as $1 directly to people who don’t qualify for help through traditional charities.
To date, MicroGiving has empowered hundreds of Donors to help struggling individuals and families ward off foreclosure, prevent loss of utilities, sustain through a temporary loss of job, restore homes after disaster and fund urgent requests for health care.
MicroGiving changes the traditional face of charity by making the experience of giving micro donations more personal, transparent and financially feasible for those who have to give to those who need.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on micro giving. Are traditional charity infrastructures impersonal? And should more charities make an effort to expand their outreach to people in need on a local level?