2011 Charity Drive Kickoff

As I mentioned in last week’s blog posting, today is the kickoff of my 3rd annual Holiday Charity Drive.  The proceeds from this effort go to three great charities and the amount donated is based on what buyers are licensing from iStockphoto this week!

How it works… At the end of this week, I will total up the number of individual downloads buyers licensed from my iStockphoto portfolio.  I will then multiply this number times $.40, and that is the amount to go into the charity pot (minimum $750).  The pot then gets divided equally between these three charity organizations:

• Give Kids the World – From their website: “Give Kids The World is a non-profit organization that exists only to fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world to experience a memorable, joyful, cost-free visit to the Central Florida attractions, and to enjoy the magic of Give Kids The World Village for as long as there is a need. ”  I’ve read and heard first hand about the great memories families get to make together during their time in Florida.  Sometimes things don’t end well, but I’d like to think that sometimes this kind of fun time can help turn things around, even just a little bit.
• Toys For Tots –   From their website: “The objectives of Toys for Tots are to help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.”  What better way to send a smile during the holiday season, then to provide the means for a needy child to have a new gift?
• 100 Neediest – From their website: “Each year, more than 10,000 families in need receive help from the 100 Neediest Cases program. The cases come as referrals from more than 70 local nonprofits. An effort is made to assist every case in some way.” This is a local St. Louis effort, and with the economic problems people have, perhaps this little bit can help provide some warmth or happiness during the holidays.

Next Monday morning, I will post a round-up of how much content was licensed, and the final amount of the donation pot.

So, if you take the time to browse my portfolio for your stock needs, and then license some content, I appreciate it, and part of your purchase will be going to the three charities mentioned above.  Here’s hoping you have a great holiday season, and that we are able to help some others at the same time.