Online Holiday Charity Donations

by Emily Price | More from this Blogger

15 Dec 2006 02:44 AM

Every holiday season it seems like where ever I go, there is a Salvation Army representative standing outside, ringing a bell, and asking for donations. The red bucket and bell sound has become a regular scene at my neighborhood grocery store, and I've seen the bell ringers at various other shops around town during my holiday shopping this year.

Every year I try to contribute what I can to charities. When I pass the Salvation Army cans I usually try to put in a dollar or two, I donate to Pennies From Heaven, and Toys for Tots. For the most part, if you're a charity and you encounter me during the holiday season, I'm more than likely going to make some sort of donation. My individual donations are not that large, but if you add all of the donations I make throughout the season up, I bet I donate a sizeable amount.

This holiday season, most of the charities I donate to during the holiday season, have also set up shop on the internet. Most of the charities simply have a link on their website to make a donation, but I've also seen a few "Virtual Red Cans" for the Salvation Army on individual company websites.

I have to admit, part of why I donate so much during the holiday season is because I like the look on the charity workers faces when finally, someone makes a donation. Ringing a bell outside a grocery store can't be all that exciting, and they always look so excited when I make a donation. I don't know what it is, but I get warm fuzzys, making donations in person at various points during the holiday season. So do the warm fuzzy's go away if you make your donation online?

Online donations seem simpler. You can make one huge donation at once, get a receipt for your taxes, and still do something good for the organization. Logic tells me the internet is the way to go, but I still can't do it. I love making in person donations.

Do any of you make online donations to charities?

Learn more about Emily Price

Emily is a freelance writer and video editor in Raleigh NC.

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