23 Nov 2010 1 Comment

Announcing our Bring the Giving Back Challenge – #Give40

Have you ever exchanged gift cards of the same value with friends or family during the holidays? Doesn’t it make you feel like your holidays have become more about the exchange of gifts (or gift cards) than about the true meaning of the holidays?

Consider this: This year, Americans will spend over $24 billion on gift cards alone, averaging $40 each, according to the National Retail Federation. The average consumer purchased 3.5 gift cards in 2009, which equals $140 of total holiday gift spending on gift cards. Who benefits the most from gift cards? The retailers – retailers will have money in their pockets long before the holidays are underway. Gift cards aren’t returnable – they are only usable.

Imagine this: Instead of asking for presents this holiday season, ask your friends and family to donate to a cause you really care about. Or, instead of spending up to $140 on gift cards (or even $40) you spend that money to change the world. Or, open up your own FirstGiving fundraising page and watch the donations for change come in.

This holiday shopping season, give to make our world better. Join our FirstGiving challenge and Bring the Giving Back.

Are you up for a challenge?

1. Think about the cause or nonprofit that you care the most about. Is it animal welfare, the environment, homelessness? Every registered US nonprofit is listed on FirstGiving.

2. Go to our Bring the Giving Back event page. Start your own fundraiser, or donate to a cause.

Create your own fundraising page and ask others to contribute to a cause you care about in lieu of gifts this holiday season. On your fundraising page, tell the story about why you care, why gifts to this cause are important to you, and why $40 is such a symbolic gift amount. Share your page with friends and family, and be part of the greater challenge.

Your fundraising page will be added to our Bring the Giving Back event summary page, along with all the other Bring the Giving Back fundrasing pages. Together we will reach our ambitious goal in the tens of thousands of dollars raised this holiday season.

If you want to tweet about Bring the Giving Back – please use the hashtag #Give40 and link to the campaign using http://bit.ly/aXj0ve.

And one last thing – we want to give back to YOU

For anyone who creates a fundraising page through this challenge, FirstGiving will donate:

√  $40 to the FirstGiving page of the very first person to get a $40 donation

√  $40 to the fortieth FirstGiving page created

√  $40 every week to the FirstGiving page with the most number of new donations each week

√  $140 to the the first page to receive a $140 donation

We’re looking forward to having you join us! What will you do to Bring the Giving Back?

by admin in FirstGiving news Tags: , , , ,