New Delaware business launches to aid charities with donation efforts

The owners of Delaware 302 launched a new business Aug. 12 aimed at helping charities and nonprofits with their donation and fundraising efforts. The Charity Wishlist is is an organization that helps nonprofits and charities sustain their ongoing donation and fundraising needs through low-cost online systems. The concept is unique.

The Charity Wishlist will help charities by providing them with a way to accept donations of either money or goods online. Some services will be provided at no cost, or minimal cost, an important factor for groups that operate on a shoestring budget.

"We recognize the difficulties charities face in trying to get the word out about the goods and funds that are necessary for them to deliver critical services to those in need," said Phil Wojcik, owner of the Charity Wishlist. "And today's socially conscious generation likes the ease of technology to help make a difference. So our services help charities expand their fundraising and donation activities to a much wider segment of the public by offering online options for people to make donations."

Charities can select from one of two options to meet their needs. The first is through the online donation system. This system is an easy way for charities and organizations to be able to accept monetary donations and is a great option for charities without an online presence. TCW will create a branded donation form on its site (www.thecharitywishlist.org), and when users click on Make a Donation, they can easily and securely donate money. TCW tracks the donations, and on a monthly basis, sends payment to each charity or organization. There is no up-front cost or monthly maintenance fee associated with this. TCW only takes a small percentage of the donation to cover service and credit card processing fees. TWC guarantees that a minimum of 90 percent of all donations made through the system are given to the organization, unlike other organizations which charge large service fees and administrative costs, and give less than 75 percent to the organization.

The second option is for charities and nonprofits that need donations of goods rather than money. This need can be filled through TCW's Wishlist Catalog. Based upon the organization's needs, TCW helps set up a catalog or list of needed items and manages the donations made for those items. Visitors to the site can select the items and pay for them at checkout. On a monthly basis, TCW reviews the orders, makes the purchases for the charity or nonprofit, and has the items drop shipped to them. Pricing for the items includes shipping, taxes, and fees, and any balance left in the account after the purchases are made each month is donated back to the organization.

The Wishlist Catalog is a great way for people who prefer to donate goods instead of money to an organization, but who may lack the time to go buy the goods and package them for shipping or arrange to drop them off, to donate to charities from the comfort of their own homes.

Two other unique features about TCW's service: Charities and nonprofits can also post upcoming events to a calendar, as well as news releases to the TCW website.

The owners of the Charity Wishlist have also set up a Disaster Relief Fund to offer assistance to areas impacted by natural disasters. TCW owners feel it is important to ensure help is readily available to the first responder groups and organizations that mobilize to aid and assist. TCW will coordinate with disaster relief and charity organizations on site, and use the money donated through the fund to purchase items to be drop shipped to the location. TCW believes that by using donated funds to purchase goods and shipping them, it will help ensure those in need are actually getting the goods they need, and not what people at home are guessing they may need. When possible, purchases will be made through local businesses in the impacted disaster area.

For more information about the Charity Wishlist, visit www.thecharitywishlist.org), follow on Twitter @charitywishlist or like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheCharityWishlist.