J’cans urged to consider e-gifts, charities for Christmas
Published:Tuesday | December 14, 2021 | 12:11 AM
The 876 Volunteer organisation has partnered with SwiftGift, an online gift-and-give card platform, to create an avenue for Jamaicans to donate to both local and international charities as they shop for their loved ones for the holidays.
“Connecting good hearts to good causes,” was how founder and executive director of 876 Volunteer, Simone Brown, summed up the platform to be launched in days as she spoke with The Gleaner last Wednesday.
SwiftGift’s aim is to inspire more Jamaicans to donate to registered charities and support local vendors who do not have a physical store location.
Once purchased, the e-gift card will be emailed to the recipient to be used at any time to claim their product from the vendor.
“The idea is to introduce charity and introduce giving back to your community in the shopping and consumer space so that if the person you are buying for has a soft spot for women in need or animals, you could donate in their name,” said Brown, noting that persons can choose which organisation will benefit from their purchase.
The Ebenezer Rehabilitation Centre, The Angelic Ladies Society, The Montego Bay Animal Haven, Pursued International, and Street People Liberation are the five charities that will benefit from this project.
Brown, who founded her organisation in 2018, said it was created to promote registered non-profit agencies on the island that may not have the resources to create or maintain a social media presence.
“Observing Instagram, in particular, and witnessing daily businesses being created and cultures being shifted, I thought if we made volunteering in Jamaica go viral, we would be able to mobilise the Jamaican community to make a bigger impact in giving back,” said Brown.
She also asserted that she does not expect this partnership to be short-lived, as she hopes for the project’s reception to last throughout next year, despite the fact that the launch is scheduled for the holiday season.
Brown describes Catherine Alexander, the founder of SwiftGift, as having a “massive philanthropic heart”, as she sought to use the online space not only to generate profit but to also generate support for charities.
Commending Alexander’s efforts, Brown stated that her involvement has allowed for funds raised to go directly to the agencies because many of them are without a donation page on their websites or only have the ability to facilitate bank transfers, which she said is not always convenient.
Despite the fact that the 876 Volunteer group does not have an office location, the organisation has managed to assemble a team of 14 social media ambassadors and IT personnel, who volunteer their time to help build the brand’s network.
“It is important that whatever 876 Volunteer is able to achieve, we can say it was purely powered by volunteers and donations. It sends a clear message that through sole collaboration and community, much can be achieved,” said Brown.
The project, she says, is a way of rebuilding community spirit, which is vital to the future of Jamaica, and has the potential to provide consistent support to those of us who need it most.
Cards can be purchased at the donation page of swiftgiftjamaica.com.
For more details, visit the Instagram pages swiftgiftja or 876volunteer or email 876volunteer@gmail.com.