I need some help...

OT: anything goes!

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The Kernel
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I need some help...

Post by The Kernel »

I need some assistance from people here with a project I'm working on. I'm working for a small upstart company that does work with humanitarian aid in mostly third world countries and I need to know what average people like the denizens of this board think of the approach. I've been dealing with so many people lately who have a skewed view of this that I wanted to get the opinion of the average person (which is the people this is supposed to reach).

Please note that I am not trying to whore this out to you guys, I'm just looking for opinions on whether or not this kind of thing appeals to you more or less then other humanitarian organizations. Don't take this as some sort of quirky marketing scheme on my part, I'm just trying to do the equivalent of a focus group and I think of most of the people on this board as a lot smarter and more honest then anyone I could drag into a focus session. I would REALLY appreciate any advice and criticisms you guys can give.

Anyways, here is how the company works. It is a website driven affair where you can pick and choose individual projects you might like to contribute to. Since there is so little overhead involved, about 90% of the total donation goes directly to the project (contrast with about 50% that you get with an organization like United Way). The selling point is that you have a list of projects to choose from and can add them to a "shopping cart" of sorts, then pay online. We are also working on doing status updates of the projects and the like by email, but haven't implemented that yet. All of the donations are tax deductible, yadda, yadda, you get the idea. You can check out the site if you want here.

Now here are my questions:

1) Are you the kind of person that gives or would give to a charity?
2) Does this approach give you greater incentive to give to a charity like this, even if you wouldn't normally donate money?

Now I know this may not be the best place to ask people about this seeing as most of you, like me, are college students with almost no disposable income but I'm still interested in your opinions on whether or not you find this kind of idea compelling, even if you wouldn't be the sort of person that would give to a charity. Any responses encouraged :).
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Gandalf
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Re: I need some help...

Post by Gandalf »

The Kernel wrote:1) Are you the kind of person that gives or would give to a charity?
Yeah, I give to those Salvation Army guys when I go by them.
2) Does this approach give you greater incentive to give to a charity like this, even if you wouldn't normally donate money?
It does, a bit, provided people knew how much money was going where, so not all people all give to reading and none contribute to water funds.
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"

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