Social Entrepreneurs Helping Donors give Resources Directly to those who Need it Right Now

The New York Times recently featured the success of grassroots philanthropy organizations calling them “social entrepreneurs.”  These groups connect donors who have dollars directly with the vulnerable communities who need help to survive.  The COVID-19 pandemic and recent protests for human rights have increased the inequities in essentials: food, shelter and necessities. People want to directly help those hurting but also want verification that the money is being used for good:  

Your instinct may be to help right now, in cash. These services bridge the gap between Venmoing someone from Twitter and a check to a big charity that could steer that money anywhere.

Created during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Global Gift Registry works directly with existing homeless shelters, domestic violence centers and civil rights organizations.  Together, we identify the products that the community needs right now to survive:  non-perishable food, personal care products, baby supplies and gift cards. We then create an online registry through Target.com where donors can purchase supplies.   Within days of clicking-to-buy, Target delivers to the partner organizations who then sorts and distributes directly to the community.  Using emails, social media and text messaging, we connect donors to the cause and then create immediate impact.  The Global Gift Registry work just as the New York Times reported: 

Give a little money, know exactly where where it’s going, have some sense of who’s getting it and have someone between you and the recipient to provide at least some verification.  The goal is to provide a charitable option that lives somewhere between handing money over to a large, faceless nonprofit group and just [sending venmo or cash to] people who say on twitter they need help.