I have an idea that can work if you need to do some online shopping. 
Ebates, a cash-back online shopping portal, is currently running a promotion to inspire all of us Ebates members to send more new people their way. If we refer 50 people, we get a new iPad or $500.
I really haven’t the faintest desire in my heart for an iPad, but I would really like to have the $500. Not for me…no, I’d like to have the $500 to give to Living Water’s Haiti fund. I know that most of the world has forgotten about Haiti and the earthquake devastation there, but just because we’ve forgotten about it, it doesn’t mean the devastation is gone.
Living Water was on the ground in Haiti long before the earthquake happened, but they’ve significantly ramped up their efforts post-earthquake. Their goal is to complete 500 water projects before the end of the year, and so far, 178 projects have been completed. You can read more about Living Water’s Haiti efforts and watch videos of their work on their website. One of the things I love about Living Water is that they train Haitians to build and maintain wells…that’s so much more valuable than water trucks and water bottles.
The clean drinking water we take for granted here is a desperate need in Haiti, and I feel very confident that Living Water will responsibly and faithfully use my donations to serve the Haitian people.
Want to help? Here’s how. Visit the Ebates site and sign up for a new account using this link before 7/31/10 (if you use this link, Ebates will automatically know that I sent you!). Then, before 8/10/10, use Ebates to make a purchase of $20 or more. Ebates has over 1000 participating stores (like Ebay, L.L. Bean, Sears, Buy.com, and LeapFrog), so odds are good that if you need to do some online shopping, you can do it through Ebates.
(I’ve had an Ebates account myself since 2001. I use it to get cash back on my purchases when I do online shopping, so I can vouch for the value of the service. Most recently, I used it to get cash back on my new camera purchase, which saved me almost $50. Sweet. )
Of course, if you don’t want to bother signing up for Ebates, you can always give directly to Living Water’s Haiti efforts.
P.S. I just checked, and if I refer 100 people to Ebates (and they make $20 purchases through Ebates), I will get $1000 to give to Living Water. This blog receives between 3500 and 4000 page views a day, so 100 new signups is not an unimaginable number. Can we do it?? I’ll be delighted if I get $500 to donate, but $1000 would be that much more awesome.
Thanks for helping me help Haiti.
Today’s 365 post: Marigolds
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
I was wondering, how do I make sure you get the credit? I signed up, but it didn’t ask who referred me. Thanks!
Oh, I’m sorry! I should have clarified that (and I just edited the post to do so). Click on any of the Ebates links in this post will let them know that I referred you, so you don’t have to do anything. You’re good to go, and as soon as you make a $20 purchase through Ebates, your signup will count towards the Haiti money. Thank you!
I’ve been holding off getting the griddle that fits into my stove’s middle burner, that Sears.com sells. This seems like a good time to do it!
I assume if you get the $500 you will post about the donation? I trust you!
But just to follow up to know that this worked!
I certainly will! and if we get to $1000, I’ll be so excited, I won’t be able to stand not sharing it with you. lol
Maybe I can share a screen shot of my donation confirmation with you all once it happens. I’m not sure when Ebates will give me the money, but I’m assuming it’ll be towards the end of August, as people have until 8/10/10 to make their $20 purchase.
Thanks so much for participating! Yay!
This is a great idea! Way to use your sucess as a force for good
Quick question: it needs to be $20 worth of merchandise, not necessarily a single item for $20, right? And taxes and shipping don’t count? That would be my assumption, but I wanted to clarify, just be be sure.
Yes, indeedy. The purchase just needs to be $20.
I am already a member of ebates, so I can’t help you out here. But, one of the ministries my husband and I support each mont is CFI (http://christianflights.org/) a small, local ministry that sends teams to Haiti often and has a great ministry there including a school and water, home, and other ministry efforts. I travelled to Haiti with them when I was in college and it was a life-changing event for me. I get so frustrated when I see people criticising our support of third-world countries such as Haiti. Most people in the US cannot even fathom their quality of living, even before the earthquake.
I’m glad to see you doing this!
I signed up today and placed an order that should count toward the Haiti donation.
If you sign up for ebates, and you’ve never shopped at Drugstore.com before, you can get $5 off $30 or $10 off $50 purchases. Drugstore doesn’t always have the best prices, but when something is on sale, plus 6% back through ebates, plus the $5 or $10 off….you can stock up on items and save. Oh, if you spend $50 you also get free shipping.
Done! working on the $20 as well….
I signed up and made a purchase. Two actually, b/c I wasn’t sure if using a coupon link counted. Totally stuff I needed to buy anyway (lego and drugstore.com). Good luck getting to your goal. We also donated to Living Water earlier this year based on your suggestion. Keep up the good work.
One of my best friends just got back from a mission trip to Haiti, and can vouch for the fact that the need down there is still great. In fact, Jim (my friend) spent his time there training people to sanitize water (it may have been part of Living Water’s program…I’ll have to ask), among other projects. What a great idea, Kristen…I’ll definitely be signing up.
Kristin you are amazing! I was just thinking I should get started on my Christmas shopping early this year and you have just inspired me to start today!
Done! I needed a pair of shoes for a wedding that I’m in this September, so everybody wins
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