Gazelle Launches New Service to Help Boost Charitable Giving
BOSTON, MA, May 20, 2009 — Gazelle (gazelle.com), the nation's largest company rewarding consumers for responsibly trading in their electronics, today announced the launch of its Gazelle for Good fundraising service (gazelleforgood.com). This new service enables fundraisers to raise money for a good cause by collecting used gadgets instead of cash -- allowing everyone to get involved and support causes in their community regardless of financial means. Dozens of organizations and individuals have signed on to use the free service, including the Epilepsy Therapy Project, Little Red Wagon Foundation, and Pluta Cancer Center.
Gazelle for Good connects NPOs, fundraisers and donors by providing them with a simple, customizable tool that enables them to raise funds without collecting cash. Using the service, anyone from a single marathon runner to the nation's largest nonprofits are able to start a personalized online gadget drive. Donors simply visit the online drive to discover the donation value of their electronics and send them into Gazelle. Gazelle turns the electronics into cash and sends a check to the fundraiser to support their cause. Individuals can add Gazelle for Good to fundraising efforts and give supporters a new way to donate, and non-profit organizations can leverage this complimentary service to subsidize cash donations, which have suffered from the weak economy. According to the recent "State of Fundraising Survey" by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, only 28 percent of all charities nationwide expect to raise more money in 2009 than in 2008.
Drives can be done in conjunction with other fundraising initiatives, as an ongoing program, and leading up to a fundraising event. Currently, Zachary Bonner, a 5th grader from Tampa Florida and founder of the Little Red Wagon Foundation, is walking from his home to the White House to raise awareness and money for underprivileged kids. He will use Gazelle for Good as one of the fundraising options for people to donate to his Foundation. The Epilepsy Therapy Project, committed to advancing new treatments for people living with epilepsy, has also added Gazelle for Good to its mix, giving donors a new way to support epilepsy research and the development of new treatments. Visit their gadget drive webpage -- epilepsy.gazelle.com/. Pluta Cancer Center, New York's first independent, not-for-profit cancer center, has also started a Gazelle for Good gadget drive to support its mission to create a unique treatment program for each patient that revolves around their life, rather than their cancer. Visit the Pluta Cancer Center gadget drive at plutacancercenter.gazelle.com.
"Gazelle for Good gives individual fundraisers a new tool while bringing together NPOs who need to raise funds with donors who are seeking non-monetary ways to support their favorite cause," said Israel Ganot, CEO of Gazelle. "We want everyone across the country to know that it's simple to help out in your community and with Gazelle for Good anyone can start a fundraiser."
How it Works:
1. Gazelle for Good allows anyone to raise funds for a specific cause by
facilitating a gadget collection drive to gather donations.
2. In less than five minutes, fundraisers can log on to
www.gazelleforgood.com to create a personalized Web page by uploading
photos and setting their financial goals.
3. Promotional tools help fundraisers promote their site to friends,
family and other supporters.
ABOUT GAZELLE
Gazelle (www.gazelle.com), a service of Second Rotation, Inc., is committed to providing an easy, fast, and safe way for consumers to get cash for selling unwanted electronics or to recycle them responsibly. To date, thousands of consumers have used the service as a way to clean out closets, get cash and help out a good cause. In addition, Gazelle empowers consumers to avoid time consuming and risky online experiences associated with peer-to-peer selling. Consumers can rest assured that all personal information is thoroughly removed from their item while benefitting from conveniences like free shipping and packaging. Based in Boston, Gazelle is backed by premier venture capital firms Venrock Associates and RockPort Capital Partners.
