| I first heard about The Hunger Site several years | | | | Would you consider taking a couple minutes a day |
| ago, I wasn't sure what to think. It seemed too easy | | | | and commit to visiting at least one or two of these |
| to be true that money could be donated to feed the | | | | sites to click on their banners, view their ads, check |
| world's hungry just by clicking on a link. Nevertheless, | | | | out their sites, maybe even consider buying a |
| I'd return every once in awhile to click and look | | | | product as a gift or for yourself? It doesn't seem fair |
| around. It seemed credible enough. Nice design, simple | | | | to just click and leave (although it technically does |
| in concept. But I didn't know much more about it. | | | | "count"). The sponsors are paying for a few |
| After all, how does a mouse click on a link generate | | | | moments of your attention. That seems a fair |
| money for anything? | | | | exchange, doesn't it? |
| But that was long ago. Since then, Google's | | | | Assuming you're willing...how can you remember? |
| contextual advertising program, AdSense, has | | | | Some might want to put it in a planner, some might |
| introduced me to the concept of pay-per-click | | | | want to make one of these sites their browser |
| advertising...and the overall concept of charity clicking | | | | home page, some might want to get in the habit of |
| started to make more sense to me. While the sites | | | | clicking while they drink their morning coffee. |
| themselves don't use AdSense (it's against Google's | | | | Whatever system works for you is the best for you |
| terms of service to encourage the clicking of their | | | | personally. Just take the time to do it. |
| ads), these sites have other advertisers that are | | | | Before we wrap up here, you might ask..."is there |
| willing to pay for clicks on their ad banners and visits | | | | anything else I can do to support the causes that |
| to their sites. It's obvious that they find it worth their | | | | doesn't cost money?" |
| while to invest some of their ad budgets on these | | | | Yes, in fact...there are two good options. Some sites |
| sites. So, I decided that the general concept was | | | | allow you to use a search box on their site as a |
| probably legit after all. | | | | replacement for your usual Googling or whatever...and |
| Also, many new sites with similar concepts have | | | | they make a donation every time you do so. These |
| sprung up all over the web. It doesn't make sense | | | | aren't inferior serach engines, either. Do the names |
| that this would be the case if the sites didn't work to | | | | Yahoo and ring a bell? Thought so. |
| drive traffic (and, in some case...sell products). | | | | And one last one that we thought was fun. There's |
| Today, it's possible to fund many, many causes | | | | also a site that allows you to play a game. It's sort |
| through click-and-give sites: | | | | of like that Reader's Digest feature where you try to |
| - battle breast cancer | | | | guess the definition of a word. Pick the correct |
| - encourage children's literacy | | | | answer and the site sponsors donate 20 grains of |
| - promote children's health | | | | rice to the UN World Hunger program. You should |
| - stop global warming | | | | definitely try it...it's fun! |
| - save the oceans | | | | If you can't afford 30 bucks a month to sponsor a |
| - stop pet neglect | | | | child through Compassion International or World Vision |
| - prevent violence against women | | | | or the Christian Children's Fund or one of the other |
| - rescue endangered animal species | | | | big charities (or, in fact, even if you can and do), |
| - save the rainforest | | | | would you consider investing a couple minutes a day |
| So, the current situation is this: we have the sites...we | | | | tuning in to the needs of those less fortunate around |
| have the money (sponsors)...and the mechanism is in | | | | the world? |
| place. What's missing? | | | | Thanks for thinking about it. |
| That would be YOU (the clickers). | | | | |