NORTH JERSEY - Non-profits find Internet ally

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NORTH JERSEY - Non-profits find Internet ally

(by Teresa Edmond - Staff Writer - November 12, 2008)

NORTH JERSEY - Computers and the Internet have enabled people to multitask right at their desk, but here’s something else to add to that forever-growing to-do list: donating to charity.

In times of economic difficulty when many people feel there isn’t much money to spare, there’s a Web search engine that allows Internet users to donate to a non-profit organization or school of their choice.

Approximately 17 non-profit organizations and schools in the Suburban Trends coverage area benefit from GoodSearch, a Web search engine powered by Yahoo! that generates revenue for selected organizations like the Bloomingdale Regional Animal Shelter Society (BASS), Bloomingdale; Skylands CLEAN, Ringwood; Vacamas Programs for Youth, West Milford; and Holy Spirit School, Pequannock.

The schools and organizations let their supporters know via newsletters and e-mails about the good that’s possible with a few clicks of a mouse, although it’s unclear if many people are aware of GoodSearch yet, according to Riverdale-based Push to Walk president Cynthia Templeton. Push to Walk assists people recovering from spinal injuries and also benefits from GoodSearch.

Although non-profit organizations and schools raise money through various avenues, GoodSearch (GS) is a simple Web tool that doesn’t charge users for its services or take up too much time. This is quite a contrast to fundraisers that burn time and energy and are more difficult to squeeze into parents’ schedules.

“Participation and fundraising, unless mandatory, are difficult,” said Renee Valente, president of the Home School Association for Holy Spirit School. “Things like GS take less effort and that’s fantastic. And we like things that are free to the parents.”

Holy Spirit School has registered with GoodSearch last December. Since then, the school’s supporters have searched 2,852 times through GoodSearch for a total of $28.52 awarded to the school to date, according to Valente. Launched in 2005, GoodSearch is a Web search engine much like Google and Yahoo! The only difference is that before searching, users could select from more 69,000 non-profit organizations that would benefit from their searches, including charities like environmental causes, health organizations, schools, and animal shelters.

GoodSearch co-founders Ken Ramberg and J.J. Ramberg launched GoodSearch after they saw the potential benefits that a fraction of the billions of dollars advertisers produce yearly could do for organizations. According to Ramberg, the Web search engine’s staff receives about 100 registration applications daily.

In 2007, GoodSearch increased to include GoodShop, which features more than 800 top retailers including Amazon.com, Nike, Staples, Barnes and Noble, and Target.

A penny per search may not seem like much, but according to J.J. Ramberg, if 500 people per day would search the Web four times daily using GoodSearch, $7,300 would be generated in a year. In addition, GoodSearch is an “effective” Web tool that helps out charities because they’re not seeing many donations during the very tight economy.

Since Push to Walk registered with GoodSearch around a year ago, when it was still located in Bloomingdale, the organization reaped $73.

“It’s not a whole lot, but it’s $73 we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Templeton said.

But non-profits don’t see the final numbers from GoodSearch until a year later, when GoodSearch sends out checks to addresses registered with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), according to Bloomingdale-based Med to One president Tauni Crefeld. Crefeld’s organization helps provide long-term medical care and medicine for people in Third World countries.

Plenty to help

Approximately 17 non-profit organizations and schools in the Suburban Trends coverage area are registered with GoodSearch, which will donate a portion of proceeds to users’ selected organizations.

Animal Nirvana, Oak Ridge

Bloomingdale Regional Animal Shelter Society (BASS), Bloomingdale

Chapel Hill Academy, Lincoln Park

Family and Friends for Freedom Fund, Pompton Plains/Pequannock

Highlands Natural Pool, Ringwood

Holy Spirit School, Pequannock

Lakeside Middle School, Pompton Lakes

Med to One, Bloomingdale

Pompton Lakes High School PTA, Pompton Lakes

Push To Walk, Riverdale

Ringwood Christian School, Ringwood

Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Oak Ridge