National nonprofit to assist 20 new and early stage nonprofits with increasing donor loyalty while raising funds
online.
CINCINNATI, OH, December 17, 2007 – echoDonations.org, the first-ever online Charitable Mutual FundTM that rewards donors and nonprofits with Lifetime Cash RewardsTM, is donating $13,000 in online software and support to 20 nonprofits to boost their survival and growth rates.
The software is the patent pending Charity Loyalty RewardsTM - an online software package enabling donors of all ages and
economic means to give donations to their favorite charities and earn an interest-bearing return on their gifts. It's built upon the concept of Charitable Mutual FundsTM which have been in use for years exclusively by large nonprofits for their wealthiest donors. Using the power of the internet, echoDonations.org enables any person to participate with donations as little as $25.
“Nonprofit executives face significant and daunting challenges in starting and growing their organizations. The failure rate is
high,” said Christopher Hytry Derrington, Board Member of nonprofitSherpa.org, echoDonations.org’s parent organization whose mission is helping fellow nonprofits adopt new technology and innovation. “In this season of giving, it is appropriate that we begin a yearl y tradition of helping others by providing the tools and support they need to build donor loyalt y while increasing annual and endowment funds.”
Interested nonprofits interested in receiving the free online software and support should contact cs@echoDonations.org by
January 31, 2008. Eligible nonprofits must have less than $1,000,000 in revenue and be less than two years in existence.
About echodonations.orgTM
echoDonations.orgTM, the nation’s leading online charitable mutual fund, is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping charities start or grow their online fundraising programs by offering loyalty building financial incentives for donors to give more. More information is available at www.echoDonations.org.
CONTACTS:
echoDonations.org, Christopher Hytry Derrington, (513.276.4332, ext 102). chris@echodonations.org .
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
ECHODONATIONS.ORG TO GIVE $13,000 OF SOFTWARE TO NONPROFITS
Monday, December 17, 2007
Last-Minute Gift Ideas For Socially Conscious Giving
Nonprofit's Web Site Offers Socially Responsible Gift Packages Making It Easy to Feel Good about Your Gift All Year Long
San Francisco December 13, 2007 -- More and more, Americans are using the holidays as an opportunity for socially responsible gift giving. UniversalGiving (http://www.universalgiving.org) makes it easy to do this, with Gift Packages available through their web site that reflect specific international causes the giver wishes to support.
"We want make it easier than ever for people to purchase gifts that make a positive, long-term impact on the world," said UniversalGiving's Founder and CEO, Pamela Hawley."
UniversalGiving offers a large selection of international Gift Packages addressing causes such as education, poverty, disaster relief, health, and human rights. Examples of UniversalGiving's Gift Packages include: gift cards made by orphan children ($20), helping someone start a small farming business in Tanzania ($40), sponsoring a chimpanzee ($90), sponsoring a school in Uganda ($100), and sponsoring a deaf child's education in Vietnam ($600).
"UniversalGiving is an instrumental partner to Sports Gift and our mission to provide sports to impoverished children," says Keven Baxter, President of Sports Gift. "UniversalGiving has made a direct and significant impact on our ability to provide the gift of sports to thousands of children living in poverty around the world."
Greater Impact Per Dollar
In contrast to many other charitable organizations - and for-profit companies that try to profit from these kinds of donations - approximately 97 percent* of Gift Package funding and other donations to UniversalGiving go to the project and organization the giver has chosen to support. No part of the funding or donation is directed towards UniversalGiving's operational costs. Further, UniversalGiving performs due diligence on all its non-governmental organization (NGO) partners using its rigorous, trademarked Quality Model (http://www.universalgiving.org/quality) to assure that only trustworthy, high-integrity organizations become part of the UniversalGiving family.
As Andre Vanier of Palo Alto, Calif., a purchaser of UniversalGiving Gift Packages, explains, "Through UniversalGiving, I identified two extremely worthwhile nonprofit organizations to support. UniversalGiving's evaluation model helps provide the assurance that these Gift Packages will be put to good use."
About UniversalGiving
Based in San Francisco, UniversalGiving is an award-winning, nonprofit marketplace that enables people to volunteer their time, buy gifts, and donate to top-performing organizations and projects all over the world. Visitors simply choose a region (such as Africa) and an issue (such as education or the environment) and receive a list of quality ways to give and volunteer. UniversalGiving operational costs are covered by individual investors, foundation grants and fee-based services it provides to corporations. As a result, the UniversalGiving service is free to the volunteers, donators, and NGOs, and the Gift Package donations go directly to on-the-ground services serving local communities.
Since November 2003, more than $1 million and 5,000 volunteers have been matched through the UniversalGiving website. UniversalGiving is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with an organizational vision to "create a world where giving and volunteering are a natural part of everyday life."
To learn more, visit UniversalGiving on the Web at www.universalgiving.org.
Editors' note: UniversalGiving does not use any of the gift money for operational costs such as personnel or technology. PayPal, a for-profit company, manages the financial processing and does charge of 3.2 percent charge for each transaction processed.
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Atlantic Partners, Inc. Announces Release of Their "Green Mail" Calculator
Atlantic Partners, Inc. announced today its release of the "Green Mail Calculator"; a tool designed to enable organizations to better understand the impact their mailing practices have on the environment.
Washington, DC December 17, 2007 -- Atlantic Partners, Inc, the document management consulting organization, announced today its release of the "Green Mail Calculator"©; a tool designed to enable organizations to better understand the impact their mailing practices have on the environment. This tool is the first of several the organization has scheduled to release and freely distribute, that focus on sustainability initiatives within document management.
"We explain to our clients, 'you don't know what you don't know'", stated company President, Joseph Ferreri "And the impact an organizations document management processes have on the environment is one of those areas that go over looked". "You would be hard pressed to walk into any office today and not find the gratuitous paper recycle bin next to a copier, and there's nothing wrong with that"., said Ferreri, "But there are many other ways an organization can positively impact not just the environment, but also their bottom line, through development of better processes and employee education related to the creation and distribution of paper."
"The paperless office isn't arriving any time soon." explains company Vice President, John Erickson. "And an organizations mail management process is one of those paper intense functions that cannot be avoided." "In 2005 alone", explains Erickson, "the United States Postal Service noted that 10 billion (yes, billion) pieces of mail were designated as 'undeliverable as addressed'. Simply put, that's a lot of wasted paper, time, fuel, and electricity that went into the creation and attempted delivery of a lot of mail. We want this tool to help bring visibility to the issue."
The Green Mail Calculator© is available for free distribution at Green Mail.
ABOUT Atlantic Partners, Inc.
Atlantic Partners provides document management, and business continuity consulting nationwide, to healthcare organizations, associations, corporations, educational institutions, law firms, and government entities. Its broad based approach to the connection between people and technology through better processes, provides organizations with solutions that better enable them to manage their costs and business processes. For more information visit us at, visit us at Atlantic Partners, Inc.
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Sunday, December 16, 2007
HaroldSays Announces the Launch of The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day Web Site, www.BePositiveDay.com
Harold Cameron, The Chief of Helping People, for HaroldSays announces the launch of a new website, www.BePositiveDay.com, to promote the Be Positive Do Something Positive Day, to be celebrated March 1, 2008.
Scranton, PA, December 10, 2007
Harold Cameron, The Chief of Helping People of HaroldSays has launched a website to promote The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day on March 1, 2008. The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day is a day for people all over the world to celebrate by "Being" positive and then by "Doing" something positive on that day for another person, non-profit organization, or charitable cause. The end result, if only for one day, will be to make our world a more positive and better place to be and to live in. It is Harold’s plan to use the Be Positive Do Something Positive Day as the initial event to raise awareness as to the many benefits of each of us “Being” and “Doing” something positive. From The Be Positive Day he hopes to build a Be Positive Initiative where every day people all over the world are thinking, “Being,” positive and then acting, “Doing,” something positive to make our world a more positive, safer, and better place to live.
Harold is asking for everyone’s non-financial support, (endorsement), of The Be Positive Day. So far, The Lackawanna County Commissioners in Lackawanna County, PA are going to issue a Proclamation declaring March 1, 2008 as The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day in and for Lackawanna County. Also, Mayor Christopher A. Doherty, the Mayor of Scranton PA is issuing a Proclamation for the City of Scranton, PA declaring March 1, 2008 as the first Be Positive Do Something Positive Day, in and for Scranton PA. The NEPA Miners Football Team in Scranton, PA. has taken a position of support for The Be Positive Day. A PA Congressman has taken a position of support for the day and has contacted The Office of Proclamations at the White House asking President Bush to issue a national proclamation declaring March 1, 2008 as the first Be Positive Do Something Positive Day, in and for America. Several other individuals and political figures have also contacted the President’s office on Harold’s behalf asking for a Presidential Proclamation. Other national and state political leaders are in contact with Harold regarding their position on The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day and how they will support, (endorse) the day.
Harold also has an informational video posted at YouTube concerning The Be Positive Day.
In order for each of us to properly celebrate The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day, Harold asks each of us to begin with ourselves by "Being" positive and the "Doing" something positive for ourselves-(ideally when we first begin our day). Harold suggests that individuals begin their day with a meditation or prayer, or some form of positive self-affirmation to get their minds and hearts focused on the positive. Next, for The Be Positive Do Something Positive Day to be a success, each of us must then "Be" positive and "Do" something positive in our homes for our families. Our positive act does not need to be huge or monumental, but rather, can be something as seemingly small as cooking dinner for our family and then sitting down together and eating it as a family.
Finally, for The Be Positive Do Something Day to be a "positively" world changing success worldwide, we all need to "Be" positive and then "Do" something positive for another person, non-profit organization, or charitable cause. For example, if you are a student, you could do something positive for a fellow student or you could encourage your class as a group to conduct a food drive to collect food for the local food pantry or do a book drive where you collect books for young children and then as students you each read the book to an individual student. After you have read the book to the child you would then give that book to the child as a gift. If you are an employee of a company or organization, you could do something positive for one of your co-workers or you could organize a group of your co-workers to volunteer to help a non-profit organization such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Stand Up For Kids, The American Red Cross, a member organization of your local United Way, a soup kitchen or a shelter for the homeless in your area, or for some other organization on that day. If you do not know what organization or charitable cause to support a few web based sources Harold recommends for volunteer opportunities include Americorps, Boardnet USA, Guidestar.org, Grassroots.org, Network For Good, Idealist.org, Mentor, Opportunity Knocks.org, or Points of Light. Links to these and other organizations can be found at the Be Positive Day website in the handbook section of the site.
Harold is also asking members of the media to promote it prior to and on that day to post a positive news headline in their newspaper, or have the first news story reported on their radio or TV station be a positive story. The most important thing that we all can do is something; something positive for ourselves and for someone else that will contribute towards making our world a more positive, safer, and better place to live in.
Harold invites all of us to join him and join together on March 1, 2008 and make it the most positive day our world has ever experienced or celebrated. HaroldSays, "Making our world a more positive place, one day at a time."
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Contact Information
HaroldSays
Harold Cameron
570-341-6796
media@bepositiveday.com
http://www.bepositiveday.com
326 Spruce Street
#307
Scranton, PA 18503
Avoid Snail Mail: Send Christmas e-Cards to Help Give Kids a Break
The Family Holiday Association has launched their Christmas e-card service, and is asking individuals and companies to use the cards to help give underprivileged children what for most will be their first ever holiday break away from home.
London, United Kingdom, December 12, 2007
The Family Holiday Association (FHA) is calling on companies and individuals to send e-cards instead of paper cards this Christmas to help raise funds for underprivileged families in need of a break away.
Available at www.giveabreak.org.uk, the cards can be customised with a choice of festive designs, and users can personalise their cards with a message and hyperlinked logo or photo.
"We really hope companies get behind our e-card campaign – it’s a great way of spreading "green" Christmas cheer while helping to give young families struggling with difficult circumstances a few days by the sea," said John McDonald, FHA director.
Supporters are asked to make a donation based on the number of cards they wish to send.
For more information, visit www.giveabreak.org.uk, or contact Jacqulyn on 020 7323 7292.
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About the Family Holiday Association
For over 30 years, the Family Holiday Association has been working to provide short breaks for the most needy families in our community. The FHA helps families in desperate circumstances: those dealing with disability, bereavement, poverty, mental health problems, inadequate housing, or abuse.
The FHA is registered charity no. 800262.
Contact Information:
Family Holiday Association
Jacqulyn Bell
020 7323 7290
jacqulyn@fhaonline.org.uk
www.giveabreak.org.uk
A New Mom Finds a Creative Way to Give to Charity This Season
The New Mom's Best Babysitting & Parenting eBook was created to provide moms with helpful tips and raise money for charity. Available on lulu.com, the 71-page downloadable book is full of tips, forms, advice and quotes to help mothers transition into parenthood. A portion of the proceeds will go to The International Rescue Committee, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Drive Kids to be Fit.
Los Angeles, CA, December 07, 2007
A portion of the proceeds from The New Mom's Best Babysitting & Parenting eBook, created by Los Angeles area mother, Lia Prewitt, will go to The International Rescue Committee, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Drive Kids to be Fit this holiday season. The downloadable manual includes everything from helpful tips to what local celebrities are buying for their babies. "What I like about the format is that you can download it and then read or print what you need. This is a plus for busy moms," says Dr. Annette Miles, a physician and mother of two.
The New Mom's Best Babysitting & Parenting eBook is being sold on lulu.com and promises to include something for everyone. By purchasing a copy, readers get helpful information while donating to charity at the same time. "I wanted to create an opportunity to support these causes while providing a fun product," says Prewitt. The goal is to get useful and inspirational content out to busy, new mothers while raising money for non-profits that help children in the US as well as around the world. "These are strong organizations that do great work for children and families," says Prewitt. The book can be purchased by going to: http://stores.lulu.com/newmomezine
Founded in 1901, Children's Hospital Los Angeles has been treating the most seriously ill and injured children in Los Angeles for more than a century and it is acknowledged throughout the United States and around the world for its leadership in pediatric and adolescent health. Drive Kids to be Fit is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. Most recently, actress Vanessa Williams recorded a PSA in support of their programs. Drive Kids to be Fit is associated with the National Institute of Health's We Can! Program. The International Rescue Committee serves refugees and communities victimized by oppression or violent conflict worldwide.
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Contact Information
Aspire Publishing
Lia Martin
818-345-8570
lmartin45@socal.rr.com
stores.lulu.com/newmomezine
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Give One Get One.
From now through December 31, 2007, One Laptop Per Child is offering a Give One Get One program in the United States and Canada. This is the first time the revolutionary XO laptop has been made available to the general public. For a donation of $399, one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. $200 of your donation is tax-deductible (your $399 donation minus the fair market value of the XO laptop you will be receiving).
For all U.S. donors who participate in the Give One Get One program, T-Mobile is offering one year of complimentary HotSpot access.
If you participate in Give One Get One today, you will receive your XO laptop(s) in early 2008. Your donated laptop will reach a child in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, Mongolia or Rwanda in the same early 2008 timeframe.
echoDonations.org Makes Donations More Rewarding
The latest innovation in online giving hit the web this week with the launch of echoDonations.org™, the first and only online donation processing website that rewards donors with Lifetime Cash Rewards™.
Cincinnati, OH, December 01, 2007
With donations as low as $25--donors are able to begin earning Lifetime Cash Rewards™ for themselves and their favorite charities. The benefit to nonprofits is exponential by way of the annual cash received and through the increased donor loyalty gained from receiving their rewards. echoDonations.org™ has taken a 40-year-old donation trust method, merged it with the latest in lean processing Web technology, and added social media marketing to pioneer the new generation of online giving.
“No longer is earning cash rewards income and tax breaks from donations exclusively reserved for the wealthy,” said Christopher Hytry Derrington, Board Member of nonprofitsherpa.org, an organization dedicated to helping nonprofits through technology and innovation. “Now donors of all ages and financial means can donate and earn cash rewards to share with their favorite nonprofits. Donors have the grass root power to change the world…$25 at a time.”
echoDonations.org™ leverages Web 2.0 technology to provide lean & secure donation processing and management. All donations, large and small, that come through echoDonations.org™ are combined in a single charitable mutual fund, which is invested and monitored for performance in the market. It is the power of this complete fund that builds investment return--which becomes Lifetime Cash Rewards™ for donors and charities while building an endowment for the charity.
The back-office tools required to run the web-based mutual fund of echoDonations.org™ were donated by Alta Financial Technologies, Inc., a Cincinnati based financial services technology company. “We like working with new organizations; especially one that is passionate about their cause” said Alta’s CTO Bert Bullock. ”We’re honored to have the opportunity to donate the use of the charitable mutual fund software.”
echoDonations.org™, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a charitable mutual fund sponsored by nonprofitSherpa.org. echoDonations.org™ is dedicated to strengthening nonprofit organizations by financially incentivizing donors to give more to their favorite nonprofits by offering Lifetime Cash Rewards™ for both the donor and nonprofit organization while at the same time building the nonprofits’ endowment. More information is available at www.echoDonations.org.
Alta Financial Technologies, Inc. is a financial services technology company whose patent-pending back-office products and services enables the creation of web based, paperless, mutual funds targeting specific demographics.
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Contact Information
echoDonations.org
Chris Hytry Derrington
513-276-4332
pressreleases@echodonations.org
www.echodonations.org
African Cookbook to Aid Refugees
The 'Recipes of Africa' cookbook brings together recipes from each country in Africa to support the Sierra Leonian and Liberian refuges of Senegal.
Macclesfield, United Kingdom, November 24, 2007
The Sierra Leonian and Liberian refugees of Sénégal are, in many ways, Africa's forgotten refugees. As part of their respecitive contries' diasporas they are effectively stateless and as refugees they have no status and very few rights in Sénégal. Indeed, they have no right to work there and many are women and children surviving hand to mouth on the poverty line.
In an attempt to help the Celtnet site has produced a cookbook of African recipes from each and every country on he Continent of Africa. These are a mix of local dishes and more complex and elaborate 'touristy' fare. All in all the book comes in at over 800 pages and there are over 1000 recipes. You also get some information about the various countries and regions of Africa.
The cuisines of Africa are, like its peoples and landscapes, extremely diverse and reflect the Arabic, European and Native influences on the land and its peoples. Indeed, African food can be surprising in its diversity and shows just how little we know about this land. In many ways Africa is the lost culinary continent and its cuisines deserve to be more widely disseminated. The 'Recipes of Africa' is there for an attempt at both educating people about the foods of Africa whilst at the same time generating a source of revenue for the 'Help Stefan' charity campaign.
The eBook itself, http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/ebooks.php, is part of the large Celtnet recipes site: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes and is offered for only $10. It represents the first time that such an extensive collection of recipes from all over Africa has been collected into one volume and all proceeds will go to the site's 'Help Stefan' charity campaign.
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Contact Information
Celtnet
Dyfed Lloyd Evans
+441625575044
dyfed.lloydevans@btinternet.com
http://www.celtnet.org.uk/auctions/cb_ads.php
