DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.com%http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/BlogURL%/media/feedlogo.gifDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Consume with a Conscience: The Rise of Ethical Shoppinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/16/consuming-with-a-conscience-the-rise-of-ethical-shopping/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/16/consuming-with-a-conscience-the-rise-of-ethical-shopping/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/16/consuming-with-a-conscience-the-rise-of-ethical-shopping/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ten thousand villiagesJessica King, 37, has been shopping at the Ten Thousand Villages store near Lancaster, Pa., since she was in grade school. She remembers her mother buying gifts like note cards, candles and soaps at the fair-trade retailer, which sells handmade merchandise crafted by artisans in developing and impoverished countries.

"It was easy to compute for a kid: This stuff is made by these women in Bangladesh [for example], and it's creating a job for somebody," she says. So for King, the notion of shopping with a social-conscience "got ingrained really early on."

These days, more and more of us are waking up to what King tuned into long ago: Citizen consumerism -- a fitting topic on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when our thoughts turn to matters of social consciousness.

Shoppers are increasingly finding ways to make more of their purchases purposeful, be it by choosing fair-trade products or merchandise that supports a cause.

It's a sign of the times, says Carol Cone, managing director and executive vice president of brand and corporate citizenship for public relations firm Edelman.

The lingering economic malaise and the Occupy Wall Street movement have combined to keep the financial misfortunes of many Americans -- as well as people around the world -- in the spotlight. And the discourse on the Internet and on social media sites has kept the conversation going, "empowering people to not only comment" but engage, Cone says.

Edelman's goodpurpose study, which explored consumers' attitudes about their expectations of brands and companies' commitment to social issues, signaled the rise of the "citizen consumer," she says.

The study revealed that 87% of American consumers surveyed believe businesses need to place at least as much weight on society's interests as they do on business interests.

That comes as little surprise to Cone. In today's economy, social ills such as homelessness, hunger and poverty "have hit closer to home," she says. "There are people who don't have a job and are having problems feeding their family ... It could be your kid's [classmate]. It's very much in your face."

These factors have stirred consumers' charitable and social shopping impulses, she says.

Purposeful Shopping Year-Round

Many national retailers run cause-related promotions on an event basis. Shoppers can participate in programs like Macy's Go Red For Women for the prevention of heart disease, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital at Kay Jewelers to support research and treatment of childhood cancer and other diseases, or Toys R Us' Autism Speaks campaign -- as well as countless others -- but only few times a year.

Those shoppers inclined to link their purchases to causes year-round have to work a little harder.

Ten Thousand Villages, which bills itself as the country's oldest and largest fair-trade retailer, started out of founder Edna Bauer's garage in 1945, and has grown into a retail chain with 70 nonprofit stores throughout the country, as well as an e-commerce site.

"It's interesting that we've been able to grow in this economy," when many other traditional retailers have been struggling, Michele Loeper, marketing manager of retail and brand strategy for the merchant, tells DailyFinance.

As more national chains have begun to sprinkle fair-trade products into their product assortment, it has raised awareness of ethical shopping, Loeper says.

"People are really reevaluating what they're spending their money on," she says. "There's an increased popularity in shopping with a social conscience."

Ten thousand VilliagesTen Thousand Villages strictly adheres to the tenets of fair trade, which include providing sustainable income, empowering women -- rather than exploiting women and children -- and making a long-term commitment to developing countries, Loeper says.

The average length of a Ten Thousand Villages purchasing relationship from a developing country is 13 years, and some have been going on for as long as 60 years, Loeper says.

The retailer imports products from 35 developing nations, placing orders for everything from jewelry, home decor and toys to soaps and creams from artisan groups in places "where there's not a lot of income opportunity."

So an order for 80 condiment bowls from Vietnam, for example, will provide sustainable income to the women artisans who made them.

The shopping-for-a-cause movement has also been building momentum online. Shopkick, for one, which designs retailers' smart phone applications, created an app that rewards shoppers when they check into a particular store on their cell phone with points that can be redeemed for advertiser-funded donations to charitable causes, such as the American Red Cross.

Meanwhile, at shopping portal GoodShop, consumers can tap into coupons and deals at more than 2,400 online retailers, and have a percentage of every purchase donated to one of 100,000 charities or schools.

And on sites like Recoup.com, shoppers purchase daily deals, and direct part of the proceeds from the purchase to a favorite cause.

Consumers interested in vetting the cause-worthiness of their purchases can also consult the GoodGuide, Cone says, which has become known as a definitive source of information on the health, environmental and social impacts of retail consumer products.

Ethical Shopping Headed For The Mainstream?

It's unclear yet how widespread shopping for a cause will become. But the pattern of the environmental movement's rise suggests it just might.

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Over the last decade, the idea of eco-friendly products moved from the margins into the mainstream, shedding much of its crunchy-granola image along the way. Today, many of the biggest consumer products companies boast "green" lines and products, from laundry detergent to compact-fluorescent light bulbs to organic linens.

Now, as the idea of targeting your everyday purchases to also promote your social values seeps into the consciousness of American consumers, some major chains -- among them Target, (TGT) Whole Foods (WFMI), Starbucks (SBUX) and McDonald's (MCD) -- have been been finding ways to link those purchases to causes year-round.

Shoppers who use Target's Redcard credit card can have 1% of their purchase donated to a K-12 school in need of funding via the retailer's Take Charge of Education program.

And in November, Starbucks launched Create Jobs for USA, a program designed to address the nation's economic crisis, said CEO Howard Schultz during a meeting this fall at AOL's New York headquarters.

Starbucks customers can now buy $5 "indivisible" bracelets along with their venti lattes. Proceeds will go to the Opportunity Finance Network, a nonprofit organization that supports hundreds of Community Development Financial Institutions, local organizations that lend money at low interest rates to small business owners in under-served areas.

With the government in political gridlock, the onus is now on business leaders to take constructive steps towards solving the jobs crisis, Schultz told a room of reporters at AOL's offices.

Could Walmart Go Fair Trade?

There was even talk that Walmart, the nation's largest retailer, was gearing up to launch a line of fair-trade products.

In October, Huffington Post Arts reported that the retailer was in discussions with nonprofit group Aid to Artisans to sell handicrafts from artisans in developing countries. Giving that it has more than 4,400 U.S. stores, the proceeds from such a line could make a big economic impact on the people and communities in the partnering countries.

When asked recently about the possibility, Brooke Buchanan, director of sustainability communications for Walmart, told DailyFinance that although the retailer provides funding to Aid to Artisans, "we have not made any decisions related to them" about a line of fair-trade products.

And while the retailer has made some commitments to sustainable business practices and merchandise -- the company has promised that all of its products will use sustainable palm oil (as opposed to non-sustainable palm oil, a major cause of rain forest deforestation) by 2015 -- Walmart does not have fair-trade goals per se, Buchanan says.

However, fair trade products, such as cherries, bananas and coffee, are sold at Walmart stores and through its Sam's Club division, she says.

Jessica King has picked up Equal Exchange fair trade coffee from Ten Thousand Villages, where she still shops.

Also, "I'm a sucker for their jewelry -- earrings and necklaces -- textiles and table clothes," she says.

King, who is the executive director of Assets Lancaster, which helps low and moderate income entrepreneurs devise business plans, says her exposure to Ten Thousand Villages at a young age directly shaped her career path.

"It was the first example I saw of that model -- using business for social change," she says.




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]]>American Red CrossAutism SpeaksBangladeshcause marketingCauseMarketingcharityEdelmanfair tradeFairTradeHoward SchultzMartin Luther King, Jr.Occupy Wall StreetOpportunity Finance Networksocially consciousSociallyConsciousSt. Jude Children's Research HospitalTen Thousand VillagesBarbara ThauMon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 ESTBe a Smart Giver: Check Up on Charities Before Donatinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/12/be-a-smart-giver-check-up-on-charities-before-donating/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/12/be-a-smart-giver-check-up-on-charities-before-donating/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/12/be-a-smart-giver-check-up-on-charities-before-donating/#commentsFiled under:

Be a Smart Giver: Check Up on Charities Before DonatingAs you open your wallet for charity this holiday season (and throughout the year), do so carefully. It's estimated that charity fraud costs us up to $20 billion or more each year.

There are a wide range of troubles that can plague a nonprofit, and a variety of ways that consumers can get bamboozled in the name of charity. For example:

  • Just like for-profit businesses, charities employ people. And occasionally some people turn out to be bad eggs -- the kind that steal from the organization's coffers. It can be a matter of a longtime employee who earns $40,000 per year stealing $20,000, or a bigwig in the organization using donations for private jets.
  • Some "charities" simply aren't charities at all. They prey on potential donors with heartstring-tugging stories of people in need, sometimes gaining donors' trust because they link themselves with groups people identify with, such as the military or a school. People give money -- in person, through the mail, or over the phone, and the "charity" runs off with it, usually without the donor ever knowing.
  • Charities vary widely in terms of how much of your money they spend on their core mission. In recent years, the American Institute of Philanthropy gave failing grades to 70% of veteran-oriented charities, for reasons such as managing their resources poorly, paying high overhead costs, and paying excessive salaries. At House Oversight Committee hearings held a few years ago, the example of the American Veterans Relief Foundation was used: It reportedly raised $3.6 million and spent only $21,000 on veterans' grants and assistance.

Big News, Big Numbers

A high-profile expose of alleged charity fraud occurred earlier this year, when 60 Minutes reported that Greg Mortenson, author of the best-seller Three Cups of Tea and founder of a charity that builds schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, had allegedly fabricated many parts of his story.

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Then there's this less-publicized but even-more-shocking report: An expose by The St. Petersburg Times last year revealed that the "U.S. Navy Veterans Association" raised roughly $100 million, only a small portion of which actually went to charity. Some of the funds were spent on contributions to Republican politicians. In addition, it was determined that the organization's leader, "Bobby Thompson," had been operating under an alias.

As the American Bar Association's ABA Journal reported, "[N]one of the organization's 80-plus board members could be found, the address for its national headquarters turned out to be a mail drop, and Thompson disappeared after the paper started asking questions."

Don't Give Up -- Just Get Smart

All this is enough to make you want to just give up on charities. But don't. Charities need us, and great numbers of them operate rather efficiently. You can reduce your chances of being hoodwinked by being smart about your giving. Here are some tips:

1. Don't fall for a sob story or an urgent plea for cash without doing some due diligence. Know that scammers are counting on your compassion and your desire to help. They may be collecting money outside a store or ringing your doorbell, perhaps with a young child in tow. They may call you up and ask for a donation by credit card, assuring you of their authenticity. Don't believe them. They might be legitimate, but they may also be out to steal your money, and perhaps your identity as well.

2. Spread the love. If you're really worried about fraud, consider not giving all your money to just one or two organizations. Spread it out a bit. That way, if one of your recipients turns out to have been inefficient or fraudulent, it won't have taken the lion's share of your money.

3. Research charities online. The Internet is a good way to find out how cost-effective, open, and accountable charities really are. Even the Better Business Bureau offers reviews of charities. Here are three other good sources for research:

Each of these sites, and others like them, offer many other useful features and content as well.

Finally, as you study the organizations that interest you, you needn't focus solely on a factor such as fundraising or the lowest percent of donations spent on overhead and administration. Know that a small or new charity will likely only employ a few people, and it may take some years for donations to grow enough to reduce the percentage spent on overhead.

Charities that spend more than you think they should on fundraising might also be OK. Remember that what matters is how effective that fundraising is. Imagine two organizations that each spend $100,000 on fundraising. If the first one collects $250,000 in donations from its efforts and the second one collects $50,000, the first one is clearly getting a better return on its efforts.

Look for good returns on your own efforts. Do some digging before you donate, so you can rest easy knowing you're donating your hard-earned dollars to the worthiest and most effective cause.

Longtime Motley Fool contributor Selena Maranjian holds no position in any company mentioned. Click here to see her holdings and a short bio.


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]]>60 MinutesAmerican Bar AssociationAmerican Institute of PhilanthropyBobby Thompsoncharity fraudCharity NavigatorCharityFrauddue diligenceDueDiligenceexposeGreg Mortensonhow to pick a charityHowToPickACharityUnited States Navy Veterans AssociationSelena Maranjian, The Motley FoolMon, 12 Dec 2011 14:30:00 ESTGive Painlessly: Tips for Being Charitable on a Recession Budgethttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/09/give-without-giving-tips-for-being-charitable-on-a-recession-bu/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/09/give-without-giving-tips-for-being-charitable-on-a-recession-bu/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/09/give-without-giving-tips-for-being-charitable-on-a-recession-bu/#commentsFiled under:

The holidays are a time to give, but with unemployment still too high and wages stagnating, it's looking like a tough year for charities. In a recent study, almost 70% of respondents said they will donate less money in 2011 than in 2010, and experts estimate that it may be years before charity revenues return to their pre-recession levels.

But just because money is tight doesn't mean you have to give up on giving: Several new programs and companies are making it possible to be generous without opening your wallet. In fact, some charities may even help you save money while you're giving it to others.

For example, Gazelle.com helps its customers dispose of old cell phones and electronic gadgets safely, while also giving money to their favorite charities. Rather than tossing out their older tech tools, users can simply send them to Gazelle -- which will resell or recycle them -- and indicate which charity should get the proceeds.

Other options make it easier to combine gift shopping and charitable giving. GoodShop.com, a shopping portal that connects users to more than 2,500 stores, donates a small portion of each transaction to a charity or school. Users can choose from a list of over 103,000 charities and schools, and can find out exactly how much money each of their transactions generates. For example, Kindle Fire e-readers on GoodShop are selling for $199, the same price that Amazon (AMZN) is charging. But by buying the Fire on GoodShop, users can give 1.5% -- about $3 -- to their favorite charity.

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While the 1.5% Kindle Fire donation is somewhat helpful, it's less than half the average donation percentage that the site generates. CEO Scott Garell notes that GoodShop can get retailers to offer these deals because it brings them sellers: "A retailer, like Target, gives us a commission because we're giving them a new customer that they otherwise wouldn't have had. We pass on the commission to the charity, minus a small administrative fee." In the case of the Kindle Fire, for example, the retailers offering the donation are RadioShack (RSH) and Office Depot (ODP) -- stores that rank below Amazon when it comes to top choices for Kindle buyers.

In a similar vein, the company has also launched a dining site, GoodDining, where users can donate part of their restaurant checks to their preferred charities. Users register their credit cards, then eat at any of the company's network of 10,000 restaurants. When they pay, 6% of their dinner check will be funneled to their favorite charity.

For GoodShop, GoodDining and GoodSearch -- their online search program -- the goal is to make giving as easy as possible. "We want to give people the power to change the world through everyday actions," Garell says. On the other end, recipients get access to a much larger community of givers.

"There are no opportunity costs with Good," notes Nick Hutchinson, chief development officer of Juma Ventures, a charitable organization dedicated to helping underprivileged young people get college educations, and one of GoodSearch's partners. "They put us in touch with people and funds that we wouldn't have gotten otherwise."

While the individual donations generated through Good and Gazelle may be small, they add up: Hutchinson notes that, in the seven months Juma has been working with Good, it has received several thousand dollars through the relationship.

For the rest of us, these new services can painlessly transform some of our ordinary holiday expenses into donations that will make someone else's holiday a little bit merrier.

Bruce Watson is a senior features writer for DailyFinance. You can reach him by e-mail at bruce.watson@teamaol.com, or follow him on Twitter at @bruce1971.




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]]>Amazon.com IncBruce WatsoncharityChristmasdonationdownturnFinancegazellegooddiningGoodSearchgoodshopholidaysJuma venturesJumaVenturesOffice DepotRadioshack CorprecessionSci/TechTwitterBruce WatsonFri, 09 Dec 2011 20:30:00 ESTHow to Use Life Insurance to Donate to Charityhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/07/how-to-use-life-insurance-to-donate-to-charity/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/07/how-to-use-life-insurance-to-donate-to-charity/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/07/how-to-use-life-insurance-to-donate-to-charity/#commentsFiled under: ,

How to Use Life Insurance to Donate to CharityWhen most of us buy life insurance, we're thinking about one thing: Making sure our families are taken care of after we're gone. But in this season of giving, you might also want to think about setting up a policy to take care of your favorite charity.

It's a method of giving that can benefit both parties.

What's in it for you? Properly structured, life insurance policies allow money to grow tax free, and the death benefit is usually transferred to the beneficiary tax free. While the proceeds will be included in your gross estate, your estate will receive a charitable deduction for the amount of the proceeds upon your death, explains Robert DiQuollo, a certified financial planner and CEO of Brinton Eaton, a wealth advisory firm.

If you own a policy, you may also assign the ownership from yourself to the charity. If you live more three years past the date you reassign the policy, the proceeds will not be included in your gross estate.

Why make the transfer while you're still alive and kicking? Because when you transfer the insurance contract to the charity, you get an income tax deduction in the year you hand it over. How big a break depends on the type of life insurance policy you offer up.

A Tax-Free Path to Bigger Donations

To get a sense of how it can work, let's take this hypothetical example: Say a 58-year-old with a $10 million estate wants to give a big donation to her favorite charity. She could simply donate half of the estate -- $5 million -- directly. Or, she could buy a $10 million life insurance policy with an increasing death benefit at a cost of $718,000 per year for seven years, approximately the same roughly $5 million cost. If the value of the life insurance policy grows at 7.5% over a 30-year-period, explains Jeffry Weinhuff, CEO of Swift Estate Capital, the charity would receive almost $27 million upon her death, a generous gift indeed.

Another example is a wealthy individual who plans to both give large amounts of money to charity at their death and also purchase life insurance to provide for their heirs. That person might leave their entire estate to charity - thus eliminating all estate taxes -- while their life insurance death benefit would pass tax free to their heirs.

Then too, you could also get a charitable giving rider for a life insurance policy with a face value of more than $1 million. This is an attractive option because you don't pay extra for the rider, and usually there is no increase in the premium or reduction in the cash value of the death benefit.

Charity Could Insure You

But giving to charity via life insurance isn't just for rich folks.

"A policy gift to a charity can be extremely powerful, allowing ordinary people to make much larger contributions to their favorite charity than outright cash or even appreciated property," says Dwight Raiford, a senior financial planner with MetLife Financial Group.

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Another option: Have your charity of choice take out an insurance policy on you. Then, each year, you make a gift of the premium amount to the charity, which uses those funds to pay for the policy. The charity receives the insurance proceeds when you die, and when you make those annual donations of the premium, you get the income tax deduction. This sidesteps the issue of the three-year look-back period one faces when transferring a policy: You never owned it, so it won't be included in your estate.

"Say you have a $100,000 policy and a $1,000 premium. For $1,000 you can step up to the plate and get a lot of bang for your buck," says Susan Bruno, a certified public accountant and private wealth specialist with Beacon Wealth Advisors. "It's a way to give without coming up with a lot of money."

The advantages of giving this are significant. "Donations grow each year; you can initially put out less funds; [funds accrue] tax free, which [they] cannot do in your estate; and life insurance may be financed, but your other donations are made in cash," points out Weinhuff.

The Reality Check

Your heart may say to give -- but what does your head say?

The first step should be determining your estate planning needs. Make sure your plan meets your current financial needs, provides properly for your heirs, and also the charity.

Be aware that you'll need to qualify for an adequate amount of life insurance, which you may divide between your heirs and the charity. The qualification process will include both medical and financial underwriting. Realize too, that insurance is not available in unlimited amounts.

Also, recognize that the type of life insurance you chose is important. Term insurance ends at the conclusion of the term it's purchased for, so if a donor lives past the term, the charity you pick as a beneficiary receives nothing. Permanent policies, such as whole life or variable universal life, while more expensive, may be better options for this type of giving, suggests Raiford.

Finally, before you give up ownership of a policy, be sure you've checked out the organization, and that you're certain about the decision. It's an irrevocable transfer.






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]]>charitable givingCharitableGivingcharityestate planningEstatePlanninginheritanceinsurancelife insuranceLifeInsurancephilanthropytax deductionstax freeTaxDeductionsTaxFreeSheryl Nance-NashWed, 07 Dec 2011 12:45:00 EST7 Ways to Teach Your Kids the Importance of Saving ... and Givinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/02/7-ways-to-teach-your-kids-the-importance-of-saving-and-givin/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/02/7-ways-to-teach-your-kids-the-importance-of-saving-and-givin/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/02/7-ways-to-teach-your-kids-the-importance-of-saving-and-givin/#commentsFiled under: ,

7 Ways to Teach Your Kids the Importance of Giving As the season of giving brushes elbows with the cabal of commercialism, we're presented with -- to borrow from the classic education vernacular -- an ideal "teachable moment."

Here are seven ways to show material boys and girls that saving -- and giving -- can be just as rewarding as getting.

1. Hand over the spending power. Tired of playing shopping cart bad cop? Turn the yes/no verdict over to Junior. Give your children control over their weekly "entertainment allowance" and see what happens. Children who are free to spend their money on whatever they want (provided it doesn't require gunpowder, gasoline, or a parental signature on a safety waiver) tend to be more thoughtful and less impulsive.

2. Make dollar decisions tangible. If it's hard for adults to visualize mounting debt or increased savings, imagine how abstract these concepts are to the little one. Visual cues can help. Illustrate important allocation lessons of short-term and long-term savings and charity with separate piggy banks for each, or even with a running tally on a whiteboard.

3. Pull back the curtain on retail marketing tricks. No one likes being told what to do, especially kids. Show them that advertisers are bossier than Mom and Dad are with a set of interactive lessons on common marketing mind tricks, available at pbskids.org/dontbuyit.

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4. Reward savings behavior. Positive financial reinforcement is a powerful tool. Encourage responsible cash conduct by making it worthwhile every time your child decides to save instead of spend. Set up a kiddie version of a 401(k) and offer to match money that they sock away for themselves and others (e.g., $0.50 for every dollar they save for themselves or a dollar-for-dollar match for money they raise for a good cause).

5. Let them pick a charity. Giving is just as important as getting -- and that good feeling can last a lot longer than the giddiness over a new toy. Involve your children in charitable acts. Get online together and find a cause they can relate to. (Try charitynavigator.org, worldvision.org and givewell.org.) Or find a local charity and take your kids there to see firsthand how their bequests will help. Have them deliver the donations (cash, toys, clothes, etc.) themselves.

6. Get them excited about stocks, not stuff. The stock market (and the passage of time) can also reward the little ones in a big way. Engaging kids in investing pursuits is easy: Just explain that when they buy a share of stock, they become part owners of the company, not just a customer. (A seat on the board, however, may have to wait until after they're old enough to drive.) Show them how they are surrounded by investment ideas, starting with breakfast (Kellogg (K)) to lunch and snacks (Kraft (KFT) and Coca-Cola (KO)), to entertainment (Disney (DIS)), to what flick they pick for Saturday night (Netflix (NFLX)). And if saving money to buy more stock replaces saving money to buy more stuff, even better.

7. Show your gratitude for your family's gifts every day. The most powerful illustration of the good that comes from giving is gratitude. Share how grateful you are to be able to afford new school supplies and how much you appreciate gifts (tangible and intangible) from others. Talk to them about how you arepaying it forward, and openly share the joy you get from helping others. Being thankful is a lesson worth revisiting year-round.

Motley Fool consumer finance expert Dayana Yochim does not own shares in any company mentioned in this article.



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]]>charitychildrenfinancial educationFinancialEducationgiving backGivingBackMom and Dadsaving moneySavingMoneyteachable momentTeachableMomentDayana YochimFri, 02 Dec 2011 07:00:00 ESTSalvation Army Bell Ringers Get a Mobile App Upgradehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/01/salvation-army-bell-ringers-get-a-mobile-app-upgrade/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/01/salvation-army-bell-ringers-get-a-mobile-app-upgrade/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/01/salvation-army-bell-ringers-get-a-mobile-app-upgrade/#commentsFiled under: ,

Salvation Army's Classic Red Kettles Get a Mobile App Upgrade The Salvation Army's red kettles and bell ringers are almost as ubiquitous during the Christmas season as the jolly old fellow in the red suit. For well over a century, they've reminded holiday shoppers not to forget charity's place in the season of giving.

But this year, if the generous urge hits when you haven't got cash on hand, don't just walk on past, promising yourself you'll drop some money in next time -- you may still be able to do your good deed right then.

Yes, even the Salvation Army has embraced the smartphone mobile-tech revolution: At select kettle locations in and around Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, and New York, you can now swipe a credit or debit card to donate.

Citibank (C) is the first corporate sponsor of The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign in the Greater New York area. In addition to supporting the campaign financially, it will promote the cause by featuring Red Kettle screens on more than 1,000 Citibank ATMs in the region.

Bell ringers will use Android smartphones donated by Sprint Nextel (S), equipped with Square's postage-stamp-size card reader and two apps, one from Square and the other from The Salvation Army. Swipe, choose an amount, and the money goes into the Salvation Army's account. You can even get a receipt via text.

Why this marriage between the big financial institution and the Protestant charity? "We share two important goals with the Salvation Army: to help people live financially sustainable lives and to help communities grow and thrive," says Andrew Brent, a spokesman for Citibank.

Last year, more than 1 million people in the Greater New York area donated to the campaign, putting about $2.5 million into its coffers and helping provide basic necessities to 750,000 people.

For the Salvation Army, the hope is that ease of using the technology will make it harder for people to say no. "The needs are greater than ever," said Lt. Colonel Guy Klemanski, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Greater New York. "Some people who used to donate to us are now coming to us for help. People are hurting."

Ring-a-ding. Swipe. Smile. It could be the one time when you don't have to feel guilty about pulling out your plastic this season.



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]]>appscharityChristmascredit cardsCreditCardsdebit cardsDebitCardsdonationsholiday givingHolidayGivingred kettlesRedKettlessalvation armySalvationArmysmartphoneSprint NexteltechnologySheryl Nance-NashThu, 01 Dec 2011 07:00:00 ESTWhole Foods Stocks 'LIFE Jackets' for Kenyan Kidshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/whole-foods-stocks-life-jackets-for-kenyan-kids/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/whole-foods-stocks-life-jackets-for-kenyan-kids/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/whole-foods-stocks-life-jackets-for-kenyan-kids/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Whole Foods Stocks 'LIFE Jackets' for Kenyan Kids The American retail scene is often marked by anonymity: We consumers are hardly ever touched by the stories of the actual people who make the products we buy. Too often, we may not think about those people and what their lives may be like. Whole Foods Market (WFM) just launched a product that reminds us of the good our dollars can do.

Whole Foods Market's new initiative with Comfort the Children and Allegro Coffee allows shoppers to make a direct, positive impact on Kenyan women and special needs children through products called LIFE Jackets.

LIFE (Livelihood, Investment, Financials, and Empowerment) Jackets are reusable canvas cup sleeves that protect the environment as well as your hands from hot beverages. All 99 cents of each cup sleeve that Whole Foods sells goes straight to Comfort the Children, a nonprofit that helps poor Kenyan mothers with special needs children. Through the program, the mothers can learn the sewing trade and make the LIFE Jackets on-site where their kids are going to school.

The initiative is even more inspiring because in Kenya, mothers with special needs children are subject to particular challenges to survival: They are often blamed for their children's disabilities and shunned by the rest of the community. Through Comfort the Children, these women not only learn a trade, but they make money for food and education for their children and improve their own standing in their communities.

This initiative is a great example of why Whole Foods Market is such a successful company. It differentiates itself from many other American retailers: Its business is focused on operating with real inspirational purpose and generating healthy profits. More conventional companies like Walmart (WMT), Safeway (SWY), Kroger (KR), and so forth conduct corporate social responsibility initiatives, but Whole Foods has its do-good principles built into its corporate DNA.

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Whole Foods regularly gives to local food banks and shelters and donates funds to local community causes (on several "5% days" each year, 5% of all sales are donated to specific organizations deemed important by local stores). The organic grocer also provides low-fee, low-interest loans to small, local American farmers and producers that supply products for its shelves. Whole Foods recently launched initiatives to combat childhood obesity in the U.S., working with schools on programs like setting up "teaching gardens" to nurture kids' love for fruits and vegetables.

The grocer's good works extend beyond our own backyard. The Whole Planet Foundation also provides microloans to people in struggling communities all over the globe, in regions from which it sources many products. Meanwhile, teaming with Comfort the Children and Allegro Coffee on LIFE Jackets gives shoppers a direct idea of the power of their dollars, and exactly whom they can help.

Initiatives like this one remind me why I'm a Whole Foods fan (and shareholder); it exemplifies how the best companies excel by doing good in the world. Whole Foods reminds us that the money we spend can go far beyond our own creature comforts and help give people opportunities they didn't have before. That's good business.

Motley Fool analyst Alyce Lomax owns shares of Whole Foods Market.

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]]>charitycup sleevesCupSleevesFinancekenyaKrogerL.I.F.E. JacketL.i.f.e.Jacketlife jacketsLifeJacketsSafeway Incspecial needs childrenSpecialNeedsChildrenThe Motley FoolWal-MartWhole Foods Market IncAlyce Lomax, The Motley FoolTue, 15 Nov 2011 12:00:00 ESTNY Sues to Shut Down 'Sham Charity'http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/07/01/ny-sues-to-shut-down-sham-charity/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/07/01/ny-sues-to-shut-down-sham-charity/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/07/01/ny-sues-to-shut-down-sham-charity/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Breast Cancer scamNew York State is suing a bogus charity that raised millions of dollars to battle breast cancer -- but diverted almost all of that money into the pockets of its principals.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's lawsuit aims to shut down the Long Island-based Coalition Against Breast Cancer (CABC), which Schneiderman says raised $9.1 million from the public over the past five years but spent hardly any of that money on breast cancer programs.

Instead, the lawsuit claims, CABC used the money it raised to pay excessive fundraiser fees, unwarranted salaries and benefits, and other perks. The lawsuit accuses CABC and its for-profit fundraiser, Campaign Center, of violating New York State's not-for-profit and charitable solicitations laws.

Continue reading NY Sues to Shut Down 'Sham Charity'


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]]>fraudphony breast cancer charityphony charitiesJorgen WoutersFri, 01 Jul 2011 11:00:00 ESTFeds Sue Telemarketing Operation for Fraudhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/05/10/feds-sue-telemarketing-operation-for-fraud/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/05/10/feds-sue-telemarketing-operation-for-fraud/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/05/10/feds-sue-telemarketing-operation-for-fraud/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Telemarketing companies suedThree telemarketing firms and their owner are being sued by the U.S. Justice Department for running a fraudulent operation that deceived consumers, peddled movies, solicited donations and called more than 16 million numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry.

The Federal Trade Commission, which requested the Justice Department action, charged Forrest S. Baker III and his companies with multiple violations of the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The agency also accused the defendants of lying to consumers about how the proceeds from their purchases and donations would be spent.

Continue reading Feds Sue Telemarketing Operation for Fraud


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]]>Corporations for CharacterFamily Films of UtahFeature Films for FamiliesFTC complainttelemarketingtelemarketing fraudJorgen WoutersTue, 10 May 2011 15:45:00 ESTOpen Wide for William and Kate Pez Dispensers on eBayhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/08/open-wide-for-william-and-kate-pez-dispensers-on-ebay/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/08/open-wide-for-william-and-kate-pez-dispensers-on-ebay/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/08/open-wide-for-william-and-kate-pez-dispensers-on-ebay/#commentsFiled under: ,

William and Kate Pez dispenserExpect to open your wallets and your mouth wide for the coolest royal wedding souvenir: William and Kate Pez dispensers, now being auctioned off on eBay for charity.

Riff-raff need not apply. Bidders must be pre-qualified and the current bid is already above $10,000. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Starlight Children's Foundation, which grants wishes for terminally ill children and provides hospital entertainment for them in the United Kingdom.

The iconic candy company is headquartered in the U.S. and says this one-of-a-kind pair won't be mass produced. Predictions are that the set, commemorating the April 29 wedding of the century, might break price records for a Pez dispenser.

Continue reading Open Wide for William and Kate Pez Dispensers on eBay


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]]>pez dispenserPezDispenserroyal weddingRoyalWeddingwedding commemorationWeddingCommemorationwilliam and kateAnn BrenoffFri, 08 Apr 2011 16:00:00 ESTStand Down Offers Hand Up for Homeless Vetshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/stand-down-offers-hand-up-for-homeless-vets/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/stand-down-offers-hand-up-for-homeless-vets/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/04/06/stand-down-offers-hand-up-for-homeless-vets/#commentsFiled under: , ,

National Stand DownFor the past 22 years an increasing number of homeless, American vets walk for hours, in some cases days, to reach National Stand Down, a life-changing event set in a temporary, horseshoe-shaped encampment of military-style canvas tents, camouflage netting and "water buffaloes" on the dusty fields of Veteran's Village. For three days in San Diego, Calif., weary men and women are given the opportunity to transform the immobility and despair of homelessness into the momentum necessary to get into recovery, resolve legal issues, seek employment, access health services, reconnect with community and feel "safe."

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]]>homeless veteransjob trainingStand DownVeteransBonnie McCarthyWed, 06 Apr 2011 15:30:00 ESTJapan Earthquake, Tsunami Remind Us: Give Carefullyhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/14/japan-earthquake-tsunami-remind-us-give-carefully/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/14/japan-earthquake-tsunami-remind-us-give-carefully/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/03/14/japan-earthquake-tsunami-remind-us-give-carefully/#commentsFiled under: ,

Red Cross supplies being shipped to Japan for earthquke reliefHuman disasters like the Japan earthquake tend to bring out the worst in people.

If there is any fraud as old as humanity, it may be a scam of compassion. The crippled, the wounded, the widow hunched over in her black cloak in the middle of Rome's ancient wonders: are they really who they seem to be? Or, once they've taken your money, will they spring up and run off to buy a Big Mac or set up their next victim? Likely as not, it's the latter, and every time an enormous catastrophe like Friday's earthquake and tsunami in Japan comes around, the outpouring of human compassion can just as easily be swept up by fraud.

Immediately after the earthquake that devastated Haiti, for instance, so many donation scams cropped up that the FBI issued an official warning against them. It's the usual warnings: don't respond to unsolicited emails. Don't click on links contained in emails from people you don't know. Don't give personal information to someone soliciting money, and always go through an organization -- and you should type the URL into your address bar yourself, if you're donating online -- not an individual.

Continue reading Japan Earthquake, Tsunami Remind Us: Give Carefully


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]]>american red crosscharity navigatorearthquakeearthquake reliefjapanjapanese earthquakejapanese tsunamired crossreliefrelief effortsrelief organizationstsunamitsunami reliefSarah GilbertMon, 14 Mar 2011 12:00:00 ESTCharitable Giving by the Super Rich Dipped in 2010http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/10/charitable-giving-by-the-super-rich-dipped-in-2010/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/10/charitable-giving-by-the-super-rich-dipped-in-2010/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/02/10/charitable-giving-by-the-super-rich-dipped-in-2010/#commentsFiled under: ,

George Soros tops the list of 50 biggest charitable donors in 2010With unemployment climbing and available federal dollars declining in 2010, the need for charitable giving seemed greater than ever, but gifts made during the year were actually down. According to a recent article in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, charitable gifts at the top of the spectrum, those from the super rich, decreased in 2010.

The total amount of gifts reported by the country's biggest donors was $3.3 billion. That number, while still huge, represents the smallest total since the The Chronicle started tracking donations at the top.

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]]>charitabl donationscharityfederal estate taxfederal gift taxGeorge SorosMichael BloombergKelly Phillips ErbThu, 10 Feb 2011 13:30:00 ESTSyndicate Accused in Phony 'Free' Grants Scam Has Assets Frozenhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/31/syndicate-accused-in-phony-free-grants-scam-has-assets-frozen/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/31/syndicate-accused-in-phony-free-grants-scam-has-assets-frozen/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/31/syndicate-accused-in-phony-free-grants-scam-has-assets-frozen/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

government grant scamA federal court has frozen the bank accounts of Jeremy Johnson and his associates, along with 61 phony companies the Federal Trade Commission says bilked people out of more than $275 million with promises of phony "free" grants from the government.

The FTC says Johnson and his "I Works" collective touted free trial memberships via websites that promised riches or claimed grants could be obtained from the government to help pay personal expenses. Once hooked, I Works or one of its affiliates would load up consumers' credit-card accounts with charges for monthly fees and unwanted memberships.

Continue reading Syndicate Accused in Phony 'Free' Grants Scam Has Assets Frozen


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]]>Free Government Grant ScamFreeGovernmentGrantScamftcFTC regulationsFtcComplaintFtcRegulationsjeremy johnsonJeremyJohnsonBeau BrendlerMon, 31 Jan 2011 11:00:00 ESTTough Economy Means Some Girl Scout Cookies Could Disappearhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/28/tough-economy-means-some-girl-scout-cookies-could-disappear/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/28/tough-economy-means-some-girl-scout-cookies-could-disappear/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/28/tough-economy-means-some-girl-scout-cookies-could-disappear/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

girl scout cookiesEach year as sure as the first signs of spring, Girl Scouts gather, troops are rallied and cookie season begins anew -- this year, however, a down economy is changing the way the girls in green go about their $714 million-dollar-business.

The biggest news: not all of the cookies will be returning. According to the Wall Street Journall, a dozen Girl Scout councils will be experimenting with a Super Six Program in 2011 aimed at cutting costs and increasing profits. These troops will be pedaling only the top six, best-selling cookies: Thin Mints, Do-Si-Dos, Trefoils, Samoas (aka Caramel deLites), Tagalongs (aka Peanut Butter Patties) and Lemon Chalet Cremes. It's a proven, all-star lineup and if it pans out, under-performing cookies stand a good chance of being cut -- permanently.

Continue reading Tough Economy Means Some Girl Scout Cookies Could Disappear


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]]>girl scout cookie salesgirl scout cookiesgirl ScoutsGirlScoutCookiesGirlScoutCookieSalesGirlScoutsTrefoilsBonnie McCarthyFri, 28 Jan 2011 17:00:00 ESTCollege Students' Guide to Charitable Givinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/23/college-students-guide-to-charitable-giving/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/23/college-students-guide-to-charitable-giving/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/23/college-students-guide-to-charitable-giving/#commentsFiled under: ,

charitable givingYou researched what college to attend. You research term papers every semester. You even look up that cute History 101 classmate on Facebook before making your move. So why wouldn't you research a charity before donating your hard-earned money this holiday season? Doing your homework before writing that charitable check can not only help your dollars do the most good, it could save you from becoming the victim of a scam, according to one expert who recently spoke to Money College.

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]]>borderscharitablecharitychristmascollegedoctorsfinancefundgivingholidayinternationalmapnavigatorpersonalvolunteervolunteeringwildlifewithoutworldLeeAnn MatonThu, 23 Dec 2010 11:36:00 ESTHow to Give Back at Christmas and Throughout 2011http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/20/how-to-give-back-at-christmas-and-throughout-2011/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/20/how-to-give-back-at-christmas-and-throughout-2011/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/20/how-to-give-back-at-christmas-and-throughout-2011/#commentsFiled under: ,

Christmas giftThe holiday season is arguably one of the most charitable times of the year. Charitable giving is up 67% from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 compared to the same period last year, and we expect the giving to continue through the rest of the year. We've rounded up some tips from a pro on how to maximize your charitable giving before the end of 2010 and some great ideas for carrying the generosity through 2011.

WalletPop turned to Sharon Snow, a Savings.com DealPro who writes about coupons at CouponPrincess.net, for her tips on giving back and involving your kids in the process. In an email to WalletPop, Snow tells us that, "For really last-minute donations, the answers can be really simple, it's not rocket science, it just takes making a decision to make the time."

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]]>charitable givingcharitychristmasgive backgiving backholidayMicroplacePaypalTargetJosh SmithMon, 20 Dec 2010 14:00:00 ESTThe 20 Worst Charities in America, According to Oregon's Attorney Generalhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/17/the-20-worst-charities-in-america-according-to-oregons-attorne/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/17/the-20-worst-charities-in-america-according-to-oregons-attorne/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/17/the-20-worst-charities-in-america-according-to-oregons-attorne/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

worst charitiesIt feels good to give to needy organizations, whether it's a homeless shelter or a firefighter's charity. But how would it feel to know that most of the money you donated went to the telemarketing company making the call?

Oregon Attorney General John Kroger released a list of what he calls the 20 Worst Charities, hoping that consumers would make sure to avoid scams and give money to those groups who actually put it to good use.

Continue reading The 20 Worst Charities in America, According to Oregon's Attorney General


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]]>Association for Firefighters and ParamedicsBig HopecharityDogs Against DrugsDogs Against CrimedonationdonationsFirefighters Charitable FoundationFoundation for American VeteransirsKorean War Veterans National Museum LibraryLaw Enforcement Education ProgramNational Vietnam Veterans FoundationShiloh International MinistriesThe Wishing Well FoundationWorst charitiesDawn FallikFri, 17 Dec 2010 16:00:00 ESTRetailers for a Cause: Big Brands That Are Giving Backhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/retailers-for-a-cause-big-brands-that-are-giving-back/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/retailers-for-a-cause-big-brands-that-are-giving-back/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/retailers-for-a-cause-big-brands-that-are-giving-back/#commentsFiled under: ,

'Tis the season to give and receive, and retailers are getting into the holiday spirit by making donations and promoting volunteer work. While some retailers like Ann Taylor, Kohl's and Williams-Sonoma are donating a portion of customer's shopping proceeds to a charity; others like Walmart, Macy's and REI are using their stores and websites to market charitable causes.

Here are some of the retailers who are giving a little back this holiday season.

Continue reading Retailers for a Cause: Big Brands That Are Giving Back


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]]>Ann Taylorbreast cancer researchCharityCharity Navigatorchristmasdonationholiday shoppingJcPenneyKohlsLowesmacysMall of Americamall santasREIsalvation armysusan g. komenTargetwalmartWilliams-SonomaYear-end DonationsAbigail WiseWed, 15 Dec 2010 10:00:00 ESTCharitable Donations and Your Taxes: Seven Reasons Cash Is Kinghttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/charitable-donations-and-your-taxes-seven-reasons-cash-is-king/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/charitable-donations-and-your-taxes-seven-reasons-cash-is-king/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/12/15/charitable-donations-and-your-taxes-seven-reasons-cash-is-king/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Seven reasons why it makes sense to give cash as a charitable donationWe're only two weeks into December and I've already been approached by more than a dozen charities asking for donations. In a tough economy, those organizations have gotten pretty creative. I'm rarely asked to make a gift of straight cash -- or cash equivalent, such as checks or credit cards. Instead, I've been asked to donate items for silent auctions, buy baked goods and candles at a premium and, of course, take a chance with raffles.

While all these fundraising ideas certainly have their place (and I, by no means would want to discourage you from participation), as a tax attorney, I still believe that cash is king when it comes to charitable donations.

Here are seven reasons to consider why making a donation of cash (or cash equivalent) makes better financial sense:

Continue reading Charitable Donations and Your Taxes: Seven Reasons Cash Is King


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]]>cash donationcharitable deductioncharitable donationCharitable donations 2010charitable organizationdonating money and taxesSchedule Atax write-offs for charitytax-featureTaxes 2010Taxes 2011Kelly Phillips ErbWed, 15 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST