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Benj and Jessica launched a nonprofit. Follow our journey as we built a 501(c)(3) and a web site, and now usher in an endless stream of worthy charity nominees and monthly grant winners!

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Where to send coronavirus donations?

coronavirus donations

The speed of spread of coronavirus snuck up on us in the United States. So did the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and that it afflicts young and old, healthy and sick. We're only starting to feel the economic impacts that the critically needed social distancing and home isolation will have. During the first week of March, our last open nomination period, we had no idea what was coming. So you may be wondering how Charitocracy can help channel coronavirus donations right now.

It just so happens that the March 2020 front runner is well aligned with today's needs: RIP Medical Debt. Coronavirus tests may be freely available (rationed for those with symptoms). But the care required for patients with positive test results is not free. And for those without health insurance coverage, it's just one more hardship at an already bad time. RIP Medical Debt empower donors to forgive the billions in oppressive medical debt at pennies on the dollar, so far almost $1.4 billion for ~650,000 Americans. Quite relevant right now!

Pandemic-related charity nominations

On April 1st the floodgates will reopen at Charitocracy for new nominations! There are already some great nominees at Charitocracy that are helping with the crisis. Also peruse the resources listed below for more ideas. Then during the first week of the month, feel free to nominate a new charity that's well positioned to help stop the spread of coronavirus, expedite the treatment of COVID-19, or somehow lessen the emotional, financial, or other suffering of the most vulnerable among us.

Need to pause your Charitocracy donation?

Speaking of which, if you feel like you're being hit from all sides these days, don't let us add to your burden. Charitocracy donations automatically recur annually for most of us. (There are monthly options for those who prefer!) But if your renewal comes at a bad time in the middle of this mess, I get it! Reach out and I can hit the pause button for you, or you could cancel future donations for now and resume them when you're rolling in cash again. Soon I hope! šŸ¤ž

You can find the date and amount of your next recurring donation in the "Me and My Votes" widget on the Dashboard once you're logged in. It's in the sidebar if you're on a big screen, or scroll way down on your device. Here's an example:

Charitocracy nominees worthy of your coronavirus donations

While some are recent winners and not yet eligible to receive votes again, consider donating directly to these highly relevant charities during the pandemic crisis:

  • American Red Cross: They recently won for Hurricane Dorian relief in September 2019. Now, more than anything, they need blood donations for the record number of COVID-19 patients.
  • Feeding America: Food security is more problematic than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic while more folks are out of work and children are out of school. Feeding America has launched a Coronavirus Response Fund to redouble their efforts of providing meals safely through their network of regional food banks and local food pantries.
  • Heart to Heart International: nominated on the very day Charitocracy opened shop back in September 2016, this cause hasn't won the prize yet. But they're helping slow the spread of coronavirus by distributing thousands of Hygiene Kits to local shelters, healthcare facilities, school districts, faith-based programs, food pantries, and public safety organizations. Sponsor a $10 Hygiene Kit here!
  • No Kid Hungry: This is an easy one, and our December 2019 winner. A billion kids worldwide are now out of school, where many of them usually receive meals. For some it's their only meals. No Kid Hungry is helping feed as many as possible during this pandemic. Since they just won, they won't be eligible again until next December, but you can make a donation here.
  • UNICEF: This is another long-time nominee that hasn't yet won. To date UNICEF has delivered almost 1.5 million protective items to health workers. Learn more about how they're looking out for children during this crisis.
  • World Central Kitchen: July 2019 winner, this organization responds to just about every crisis in the world, and coronavirus in no exception. They're a group of chefs creating smart solutions to hunger and poverty. You can find out how they're responding to the pandemic in the US and make a donation here.

Additional resources to discover more coronavirus charities

Whether you're looking to volunteer, donate, or nominate a cause at Charitocracy, here are sites with great ideas on how you can help:

I'll update this post as more worthy recipients crop up for your coronavirus donations, or more useful resources become available. In the meantime, stay well, stay safe, and take care of each other! ā¤ļø

February 2020 winner Sea Change OBX

Charitocracy's 42nd check to February winner Sea Change OBX for $1262

We have good news about February winner Sea Change OBX, right after this quick update...

This is how you Charitocracy!

In February we had the biggest influx of new donors at Charitocracy since the first few months of our existence. 38 new donors! And most of them joined thanks to the recruiting efforts of our new nominees, the lion's share coming from, you guessed it, the winning cause. In fact, other than hurricane relief winners, no cause has gone from new nominee to winner so quickly, and only Hurricane Harvey relief has attracted more votes.

So if you have a favorite cause and a squad of friends and family who you believe will support your effort, February's winner has proven it's doable. And the beauty is that if/when your cause wins, 11 other worthy causes also benefit from your Charitocracy fundraising. So without further ado...

February 2020 winner Sea Change OBX

Last night we named Charitocracy's 42nd monthly winner. Congratulations toĀ Sea Change OBX, nominated by donor jennagwaltney. They work directly with the Outer Banks Latino community to promote education and encourage cross-cultural understanding. You can find their web page here.

Now you have a week to further sweeten the pot with a special one-time donation of any amount, which we'll add straight to the check we write to Sea Change Partnership. ā¤ļø Here's how they plan to spend it:

Your donation will go towards publishing a bilingual cookbook of original OBX Latino recipes. Each recipe will include a personal narrative and a photo from the country of origin. The proceeds will sustain our ongoing programs.

Before you go, check out this video (en espaƱol) from winner Sea Change OBX, welcoming members of the community to attend their free English classes. (Expecting fewer than 30 students, they accommodated over 50!) ThenĀ feel goodĀ about your part in our collective $1262+ grant to help with their work!

Have a great March and be sure to log intoĀ CharitocracyĀ to update your votes or nominate a new cause!

Spotlight on nominee Sea Change OBX

nominee Sea Change OBX

Next in our series of posts about new Charitocracy nominees, we have nominee Sea Change OBX, nominated by donor jennagwaltney. Sea Change OBX work directly with the Outer Banks Latino community to promote education and encourage cross-cultural understanding. You can find their web site here.

A few words on Charitocracy

Firstly, for newcomers: here's how it works. Donors pool their monthly contributions, as little as $1. The cause with the most votes each month wins the pot. No matter how much or how little you contribute, each donor at Charitocracy gets one vote. This is where charity meets democracy. So please share this post (scroll down for social sharing icons) and ask your friends to join us and vote! That's how we spread the word and, as a result, grow the monthly pot. The bigger the pot, the bigger our positive impact on the world!

About nominee Sea Change OBX

The Wave of Partnership

Sea Change OBX works directly with the Outer Banks Latino community to promote education and encourage cross cultural understanding.

Our current priorities are to:

  • Teach multi-level adult ESL classes
  • Communicate through personal YouTube videos
  • Create a bilingual cookbook of original Latino recipes

Our mission is to:

  • Contribute to partnerships with civic and nonprofit organizations within our community
  • Create family awareness of the importance of education and social engagement
  • Nurture resilience in our families by identifying and building on existing strengths
  • Share strategies for teaching English Learners with teachers, tutors, and volunteers
  • Organize special cultural events to foster cross cultural interaction
  • Provide additional learning opportunities for the entire family

So visit the page of nominee Sea Change OBX to vote for, like, or discuss this cause! And spend a few minutes watching their introductory video, where a sibling team of community members interview their leaders about the origins of Sea Change OBX. (Love the flashlight microphone!)