Beginning May 24, Groupon will feature an atypical DonorsChoose.org deal and give members the ability to purchase charity credits that are good for double the value.
For instance, if you spend $50 on Groupon, you'll receive $100 in credit to contribute to DonorsChoose.org. Philanthropic Groupon users will have the option to purchase half-price credits for $20, $50, $100 or $250.
DonorsChoose.org is a charity whose mission is to outfit U.S. public and charter school classrooms with school supplies. Those that opt to purchase the half-price credits via Groupon can choose to allocate the deal funds to any of the DonorsChoose.org classroom projects that need funds.
Projects are specific to the individual requests of teachers across the nation and require funds for materials such as art utensils, textbooks, literature, teaching tools and other school supplies. DonorsChoose.org is responsible for purchasing the products and sending them to classrooms once the projects are fully funded. Plus, the organization follows up post-funding and provides donors with photos of the project in action, an itemized report on how money was spent and a thank-you letter from the teacher.
The DonorsChoose.org Groupon promotion will run all week, starting Monday, as a side deal.
Groupon has already proved that consumers will band together to purchase items for the right discount, so we're curious to see if the company can rally its community to come together for a much more altruistic purpose.
[img credit: DonorsChoose.org]