Where do you go when you want to find things to buy online? We all have our special favorites but I would be willing to bet that a lot of people have eBay at the top of their lists of web sites. And why not? You can find most anything on eBay.

Auctioning off things for a profit is not the only thing that eBay is busy with these days though. One of their projects is to hold a sale – not an auction, mind you – of fashion items for charity. Auction Bytes has this report:

eBay announced a collaboration with fashion designer Yigal Azrouel for Mercedes-Benz Fall Fashion Week. eBay is an online sponsor for Azrouel’s men’s and women’s Fall/Winter 2009 runway shows and will host a charity sale – not auction – from the designer’s Spring/Summer 2009 collection.

eBay said the collaboration represents its continued commitment to support the fashion world. In 2005 and 2007, eBay partnered with the CFDA and Vogue to present 7th on Sale, the largest sample sale on the Internet. eBay has also partnered with leading designers for past charity auctions.

So where does the charity part come in? Read on:

As part of the collaboration, eBay will sell a variety of looks from Azrouel’s Spring/Summer 2009 collection in a sale to benefit Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The charity sale, launching on June 4, is unusual in that typically such charity fund-raising events are offered in an auction format. eBay said all pieces would be offered at fixed-prices that are below retail in order to make high-end fashion accessible to eBay’s users while raising money for a charity benefiting environmental causes.

High end fashion pieces for lower prices and the environment benefitting – not such a bad deal, don’t you think?

Categories: Activities, Campaigns, Charities, Children, Environmental, Fundraising, Ideas, News, Organizations, Programs, Shopping

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There are charitable organizations that have been around for as long as one can remember. Though I have nothing against these organization – they serve their purpose and they have changed the lives of countless people – I do have this tendency to go for the more radical and innovative organizations. And mind you, there is no lack of these in these days.

Take Fund It Frog, for example. Just by looking at the name, you can already see how this is probably not your run-of-the-mill charitable organization. As a matter of fact, Fund It Frog started as an application for the ubiquitous Facebook in April of 2008. In October, it expanded its operations and now extends its reach to the rest of the Web. What is Fund It Frog all about? Creator Geoff Hughes explains:

Fund it Frog is a dead simple way to raise money for charity every time you shop online – without costing you a bean. You can set up your own Fund for the cause you are passionate about, then set about gathering up even your most reluctant friends by offering them a way to support you without it costing them time or money. Using discounts and voucher codes, they can even save themselves money along the way.

Having invited your friends to join your favourite Fund, you can keep an eye on each other’s fundraising progress. There is a useful list of every item you have bought. Fund it Frog is functional and funky.

You can visit their web site here for more information and to get started. Have fun while helping others out!

Categories: Charities, Organizations

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And you wonder why some people are averse to giving to charitable causes. Every time we hear of a large scale catastrophe, we also hear of charities stepping up and doing their share to help the people who have been affected. But then, we also hear of those unscrupulous people who try to take advantage of the whole situation.

Take for example the latest disaster to hit parts of Australia. Bushfires have left countless of people homeless. Others have lost more than their homes; they lost family members and friends to the raging fires. Naturally, charities are stepping up their efforts to raise funds to help those in need.

Then scammers enter the picture. Late last week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission sent out a public warning that “scammers could take advantage of the situation.” Live News reports:

In the wake of previous disasters, such as the 2003 Canberra bushfires, scammers collected money after pretending to represent legitimate charities.

ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel has warned that scammers could use door knocks, emails or even approach people in the street asking for money.

While giving to charity is admirable, you should not leave yourself vulnerable to scammers. What can you do to avoid being victimized?

One, always ask for appropriate identification. This, however, is not foolproof. IDs can be forged any time. It would be better to seek the official channels of charity and give your donations there. Instead of merely handing out your donations to anyone who approaches you, look for registered charities and make sure that the money or goods that you donate reach the appropriate people.

Categories: Charities, Environmental, Fundraising, International Aid

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