Why?

Recently, this question was posed to me, “why are you creating yet another ‘giving’ app when there are so many out there?”  Good question and proof that there was little research done on our project.  That’s okay.  We’re new on the playing field.  Or are we?  

HowGiving was conceived over 4 years ago and launched into R&D in 2012.  Our goal was to create an environment of automated thoughtfulness for people that fully intend to remember all the important people in their lives but inevitably miss an important birthday, holiday or event.  No big deal, right?  That’s what calendars are all about.  However, we wanted to take it further.  We’ve created a tool that automatically pulls in all your Facebook (and soon, Linked In) contacts with their names and birthdays.  You get to pick and choose those contacts who are most important to you, add them to a Favorites category and all the events for the month appear in chronological order on your dashboard.  Beside each Favorite Contact is a Shop button that, when clicked, presents you with a hand picked list of premium on-line gift vendors.  From flowers, to cards, to gifts, to technology.  Even Amazon is available through the HowGiving app.  All you do now is shop for your Favorite Contact and you are instantly elevated to “very thoughtful” status.  Need more?  No worries, we’re just getting rolling.  

One of our ultimate goals was to create a way to impact the world of humanitarian service organizations and causes..  Having traveled the world in mission response I personally recognized an immediate connection with giving.  The HowGiving app is an environment of automated giving that ultimately has an option to benefit humanitarian service organizations that are doing the most good for people and causes world wide.  As a user shops for that VIP in their life, they are offered an opportunity at the same to donate a small percentage or dollar amount to a charity of their choosing.  We’ve selected some of the best charities that are doing the most good domestically and internationally.  Through automation, users can make that donation happen and begin the process of being a game-changer where needs are met through charitable giving.  That increases you, the user, from just “very thoughtful” to “humanitarian hero”.  

Is it enough to just say you care or is supporting causes while remembering special friends and family making a bigger difference?  Obviously we wouldn’t want to use lip service to solve the world’s humanitarian crises.  If not on the front line then our role is to support those that are slugging it out, day in and day out to see change happen.  

Be a real game-changer, both in the lives of those you love and care most about while at the same time, responding to those that need the most love and care.  And the question “why?” won’t have to be asked.  It’ll be obvious. 

Brian

Brian Crowe is HowGiving's CCO and Director of Charity Relations.  His experiences in mission response and mission needs have taken him around the world leading and serving on field team response as well as providing Executive Leadership on international mission organizations and foundations.   He has a passion to connect the dots between donor and charity, minimizing the distance between cause and response.