Act In Kind: A great way for consumers to become givers

"It’s not about buying more, but buying better." That’s the slogan for a new startup which is aiming to bring two powerful forces – consumers and brands – together in the name of philanthropy.

Act In Kind recognises that profit making is part of the world we live in and that consuming is a basic need (although some consume more than others), but they are trying to use these forces for good. How? It’s quite simple really: they distribute funds from for-profit brand purchases to non-profit projects throughout the world. When you shop, you decide where the donations go. As their website states: "Many brands already give back to the non-profit sector but since it’s the consumers making the brand purchases, why not ask them where they would like those donations to go?"

<!–more–>We think it’s a great idea and we’re very fortunate to have 3 of our projects featured on the website allowing consumers to support the work we do. The three SOSF projects which people can support through Act In Kind are:

Basking sharks in Scotland
Dr. Mauvis Gore’s research into the population dynamics and demographics of the basking shark has already produced some ground-breaking results including a tagged shark that crossed the Atlantic in 2007, covering over 9,000 km from Scotland to Newfoundland. (View project on Act In Kind)

Shark fin pollutants research in Fort Lauderdale
Shark fin soup is the leading cause of shark overfishing and Dr Mahmood Shivji’s work goes to the heart of the problem. If he can prove that eating shark fin is dangerous to human health, which seems to be the case, then hopefully we can bring down the demand for the delicacy which is pushing many shark species to extinction. (View project on Act In Kind)

White sharks in Cape Town
Recently featured on CNN, Alison Kock’s work on white sharks in South Africa is providing crucial information on how to conserve this threatened species. Based at the Save Our Seas Shark Centre the work also forms part of a comprehensive education programme aimed at making local children aware of the challenges facing our oceans. (View project on Act In Kind)

We’re glad to be involved in such an innovative, new project which gives everyone the ability to become philanthropists. Act In Kind supports projects in a variety of focus areas from the Environment to Basic Rights and Development. More info can be found on their website: actinkind.com