Click And Give: Could Charity Donations Really Be This Easy?

When I first heard about The Hunger Site several years ago, I wasn't sure what to think. It seemed too easy to be true that money could be donated to feed the world's hungry just by clicking on a link. Nevertheless, I'd return every once in awhile to click and look around. It seemed credible enough. Nice design, simple in concept. But I didn't know much more about it. After all, how does a mouse click on a link generate money for anything?

But that was long ago. Since then, Google's contextual advertising program, AdSense, has introduced me to the concept of pay-per-click advertising...and the overall concept of charity clicking started to make more sense to me. While the sites themselves don't use AdSense (it's against Google's terms of service to encourage the clicking of their ads), these sites have other advertisers that are willing to pay for clicks on their ad banners and visits to their sites. It's obvious that they find it worth their while to invest some of their ad budgets on these sites. So, I decided that the general concept was probably legit after all.

Also, many new sites with similar concepts have sprung up all over the web. It doesn't make sense that this would be the case if the sites didn't work to drive traffic (and, in some case...sell products).

Today, it's possible to fund many, many causes through click-and-give sites:

- battle breast cancer
- encourage children's literacy
- promote children's health
- stop global warming
- save the oceans
- stop pet neglect
- prevent violence against women
- rescue endangered animal species
- save the rainforest

So, the current situation is this: we have the sites...we have the money (sponsors)...and the mechanism is in place. What's missing?

That would be YOU (the clickers).

Would you consider taking a couple minutes a day and commit to visiting at least one or two of these sites to click on their banners, view their ads, check out their sites, maybe even consider buying a product as a gift or for yourself? It doesn't seem fair to just click and leave (although it technically does "count"). The sponsors are paying for a few moments of your attention. That seems a fair exchange, doesn't it?

Assuming you're willing...how can you remember? Some might want to put it in a planner, some might want to make one of these sites their browser home page, some might want to get in the habit of clicking while they drink their morning coffee. Whatever system works for you is the best for you personally. Just take the time to do it.

Before we wrap up here, you might ask..."is there anything else I can do to support the causes that doesn't cost money?"

Yes, in fact...there are two good options. Some sites allow you to use a search box on their site as a replacement for your usual Googling or whatever...and they make a donation every time you do so. These aren't inferior serach engines, either. Do the names Yahoo and Ask.com ring a bell? Thought so.

And one last one that we thought was fun. There's also a site that allows you to play a game. It's sort of like that Reader's Digest feature where you try to guess the definition of a word. Pick the correct answer and the site sponsors donate 20 grains of rice to the UN World Hunger program. You should definitely try it...it's fun!

If you can't afford 30 bucks a month to sponsor a child through Compassion International or World Vision or the Christian Children's Fund or one of the other big charities (or, in fact, even if you can and do), would you consider investing a couple minutes a day tuning in to the needs of those less fortunate around the world?

Thanks for thinking about it.

Chuck Brown is the webmaster of the Torn Bread network of sites, which includes ClicksGive.com...a quick-reference guide to click-to-donate sites like those mentioned in the article.

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Click And Give: Could Charity Donations Really Be This Easy?
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