(This is the second post in an ongoing series about charitable giving. You can read about my original intentions with these posts here.)
I came across the Sevenly.org site over a year ago and started visiting it regularly, but it wasn’t until last month that I finally made a donation to one of the causes. What’s the deal with Sevenly? Well, simply put, each week they partner with and feature a particular cause and set a fundraising goal. They then provide some cool product that reflects the message of the cause. Folks like me and you, purchase the product and $7 from each item goes directly to the cause. You get to donate a little something to charity and wear a hip t-shirt (or tank or hoodie or whatever) for all the world to see. It gets the message out there, when your friends ask you about the shirt you’re wearing. It also acts as a good reminder each time you put it on, of the need that exists in the world. In their own words, Sevenly is “not only a way to crowd-fund for causes, but to drive massive social awareness as well.”
Now, I go back and forth about the whole thing. Hence my hesitation at purchasing anything for so long. I finally caved though and now I’m rockin’ a trendy tee. It’s not that I think it’s a “bad” thing. Not at all. But it’s just that I’m used to thinking of charitable giving in a different way. Purchasing a $28 shirt with $7 going to the cause is a bit morally challenging. On the flip side, the Sevenly site has intrigued me enough to keep going back, and in doing so, I’ve learned a lot more about a variety of organizations and causes than I might otherwise come across in my internet surfing. And if you’re really feeling the need to climb to a bit more moral high ground, you can always donate directly to one of the causes that Sevenly partners with (after you order that trendy tee). A little to give, a little to wear.