OzBargain 2014 Christmas Charity Donations - $14,580 to Charities of Your Choice

scotty on 09/12/2014 - 22:54
Last edited 18/12/2014 - 07:34 by 1 other user

UPDATE 18 Dec: The poll has finished and the top 4 charities for this Christmas are:

  • Doctors without Borders
  • RSPCA
  • Beyond Blue
  • Cancer Council Australia

They will be receiving $3,645 of donation each. Thanks to everyone who participated.

UPDATE 14 Dec: Please vote on the charities now we have all the suggestions. There are 258 unique commenters at this point thus OzBargain will donate $12,000 + $10 x 258 = $14,580 this Christmas. The top 4 voted charities will receive $3,645 of donation.

It's December and OzBargain has planned to donate at least $12,000 to the charities this Christmas. We have already made more than $50,000 contributions to various charity organisations in Australia over the last 3 years, and for this year the plan is a little bit different. We will be taking suggestions from the commenters again, similar to our last EoFY donation. However to be fair to each of the charities suggested, votes will not be allowed until I have got a full list of suggestions. So basically it would be in two stages — first I am getting the suggestions from the commenters, and then I'll reset votes on all the poll options so all of them would start out equal.

Moreover, like last year's Christmas donations, we will be donating $12,000 + $10 x number of unique commenters in this thread until this Saturday night. So for example if 300 user accounts commented in this post, we will then donate $12,000 + $10 x 300 = $15,000 to the charities.

We will pick the top 4 charities based on number of votes, and then equally distribute the total amount to those charity groups.

Timeline

The timeline would go like this:

  • 9 Dec — start taking suggestions
  • 13 Dec 11:59PM — suggestions closed, votes reset to 0 and let the voting start! Also count the number of unique commenters so far and update the total donation amount.
  • 17 Dec 11:59PM — voting closed. Top 4 charity groups chosen, which we will be donating to.
  • 18-24 Dec — OzBargain will donate to those charities picked

Now let the suggestion come in! If you are commenting on this post directly (not replying someone's comment), you shall see "Suggestion" there above the comment box. Put your choice of charity there + some reasons why this charity is worth donating to for this Christmas, and I'll add your suggestions to the poll.

Since it's Christmas, please think about which charity organisation would be good to donate to.

Suggestion Guidelines

Just a reminder. If you are suggesting a charity

  • Make sure "Suggestion" field is filled when you are making a top-level comment, so your suggestion would be added to the poll. It would be in the approval queue and I'll approve them when I get a chance.

  • In your comments please also link to the website. Under Poll Options you can click on the time to go to linked comment where the suggestion was made in the first place. It would be useful for others to see what the charity is about and able to go to the website to check it out.

Terms and Conditions

There are some rules…

  • Creating multiple accounts is against our terms of use and might get your accounts banned.
  • Banned accounts, unpublished comments etc do not count towards the tally

Poll Options expired

Site Discussion

Comments

  • omgilia on 12/12/2014 - 00:02
    Suggested Hope For Paws

    Ever since my love for animals has been always adopting abandoned/mistreated dogs and not buying from pet stores.
    A charity that I would love to be considered would definitely be http://www.hopeforpaws.org/
    Please check them out!!

  • [Deactivated] on 12/12/2014 - 00:02

    gj guys

  • dirtybird on 12/12/2014 - 00:15

    So many worthy recipients, damn hard to split.

  • BMO on 12/12/2014 - 01:02
    Suggested Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)

    +$10 and Merry Christmas OzBargain. +1 Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)

    AIME is a dynamic educational program that is proven to support Indigenous students through high school and into university, employment or further education at the same rate as all Australian students.

  • sulmar on 12/12/2014 - 01:18

    Autism Australia for me and this post for $10.

    Good job Scotty/Ozbargain.

  • xDan on 12/12/2014 - 01:28

    10 DOORLARS! On ya scotty

  • megadeth on 12/12/2014 - 02:15
    Suggested Light for Life Australia

    I suggest "Light for Life"
    http://lightforlife.org.au/

    This charity lights up the lives of people in need whose world has been darkened due to the loss of their loved ones from devastating impact of violence and terrorism.

    • megadeth on 13/12/2014 - 12:16

      Surprised to see my suggestion not even approved for the final list. Light for Life Australia is a registered Australian charity with DGR status. Unsure why was it excluded?

      • Moderatorneil on 13/12/2014 - 13:31

        Approved.

        • megadeth on 13/12/2014 - 18:02

          Cheers :)

  • [Deactivated] on 12/12/2014 - 02:42

    Was going to suggest a cancer research organization but decided not to upon seeing some children aid organizations in the list.

    So many ozbargainers have said it. Its so hard to chose. A very pragmatic yet idealistic view has to be taken when allocating such resources.

    The following is my opinion

    Cancer mostly affects the old and cancer treatments typically favors pharmaceutical companies and insurance holders. While there are children's cancers, these are outnumbered and outpublicised by other cancers which will affect funding allocation. While nobody deserves to suffer more. Kids have seen so much less and deserve some sort of fighting chance. While everybody talks about finding a cheap cancer treatment, research is expensive and patents usually go to funding bodies (scientists get a small cut) or big pharma who can afford lawyers, tech transfers etc. Cancer treatment production is expensive because of regulations too, so the only realistic cheap cancer cure would be an anti-cancer tree that we can pluck the anti-cancer fruits from straight from our garden.

    I love animals and would like to ensure the strays get proper treatment and care. I would totally adopt if I was not renting a place. Unfortunately, if I were forced to chose, an average human live does weigh heavier to me than an average animal life.

    Ideally I would vote for a lean efficient charity that provides education to vulnerable and underpriviledged children. Children are the building blocks of our future. By providing a safety net for these demographics of kids in need, we may hypothetically, reduce the crime rate, reduce animal suffering, nurture doctors and scientists who may cure diseases and solve environmental issues.

    Call my idealistic but every life has enormous potential for good and evil. I believe in giving the good side as much of a chance as possible

    Sorry for the TLDR and poor writing structure need to sleep, Heres my +1

  • bargainhunter on 12/12/2014 - 02:49
    +1
    Suggested St Vincent de Paul

    These blokes pick up unwanted goods superseded by upgrades from OzB.
    https://www.vinnies.org.au/

  • MyAccount on 12/12/2014 - 04:09

    +$10

  • Twirtle2 on 12/12/2014 - 07:30
    Suggested Starlight Children's Foundation

    I'd like to vote for Starlight

  • readyState on 12/12/2014 - 08:34
    Suggested The Big Issue

    The Big Issue —- http://www.thebigissue.org.au/
    I often see these people selling The Big Issue magazine in Sydney CBD and think its great that they were able to rise out of their past and move onward.
    I stopped buying the magazines as I end up not reading them, but would still love to support.
    They even hold school workshops to educate primary and secondary school kids on homelessness, how some poor choices we make in life can make us end up like so…

    Great initiative by OzBargain team.

  • anat on 12/12/2014 - 08:48

    Comment!

  • whattarip on 12/12/2014 - 09:00
    Suggested Camp Quality

    Camp Quality

  • gimli on 12/12/2014 - 09:19
    Suggested Western Health

    Western health

    Provides paediatric and other medical services to Melbourne's poorer west. It could really do with some extra funding

  • bs0 on 12/12/2014 - 09:20
    +2

    Doctors without borders :)

    • bs0 on 12/12/2014 - 15:33

      I'm going to add that I personally don't think they get enough recognition in Australia or even amongst medical students.
      They are doing some amazing work overseas, (think Ebola).
      GF aspires to be one (brownie points haha!..)

  • pcselect on 12/12/2014 - 09:26

    +$10 :)

  • maze on 12/12/2014 - 10:20

    $10 :)

  • tarken on 12/12/2014 - 10:38
    Suggested Fred Hollows Foundation

    +10

  • Dumax on 12/12/2014 - 10:50

    +$10

  • Yarkin on 12/12/2014 - 11:12

    <3 OzBargain

  • dfragar on 12/12/2014 - 11:21
    Suggested Wesley Mission

    Wesley Mission do great work with families, disabled folk, broken homes and counselling of many sorts.

    http://www.wesleymission.org.au/home/get-involved/fundraisin…

  • ezza on 12/12/2014 - 11:57

    +1 for Beyond Blue :)

  • noskich on 12/12/2014 - 12:15
    +1

    RSPCA, billions of animals live a hellish existence on Earth due to humans

  • [Deactivated] on 12/12/2014 - 12:17

    go rspca

  • Realsteel on 12/12/2014 - 13:30

    $10

  • jimbojones on 12/12/2014 - 13:33

    Beyond Blue +1

  • aussie28 on 12/12/2014 - 13:49

    I voted for BeyondBlue

  • bargdebarg on 12/12/2014 - 14:41

    Great one Ozbargs, makes me proud to be a member.

  • randompunter on 12/12/2014 - 14:41 
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  • dealsniper on 12/12/2014 - 14:43

    +$10

  • yuuki on 12/12/2014 - 15:06

    +$10

  • Zarcady on 12/12/2014 - 15:07
    +2

    This is why I love this community. So much goodwill spread around. Is there a way for us to donate to the charity pool as well?
    As a previous depression sufferer, beyond blue is a great cause

  • downhillmtbr on 12/12/2014 - 16:02

    Thanks scotty for ozbargin and doing your bit to give back!

  • Giraffe on 12/12/2014 - 16:02

    +$10

  • Smulder on 12/12/2014 - 16:14

    Comment for $10 :)

  • Food on 12/12/2014 - 16:28

    10 bux!!!!! Wow

  • ad89 on 12/12/2014 - 16:37

    +$10

  • quint_10 on 12/12/2014 - 16:42

    thanks ozbargain/scotty; good work, I think most charities are worthy, +$10, hopefully those of us in the ozbargain community who can spare some $ will also be encouraged to donate.

  • meatgasm on 12/12/2014 - 17:06

    +10 :D :D

  • ausmechkeyboards on 12/12/2014 - 17:28
    Suggested MS Society of Australia

    The MS Society of Australia is a great charity to consider.

  • pretz on 12/12/2014 - 18:19

    +$10, love the work you guys are doing! Our chance to give back to the community.

  • J6 on 12/12/2014 - 18:45

    get some

  • Fobsessive on 12/12/2014 - 18:56
    +1

    Alzheimer's Australia is a really worthy cause, assisting people suffering from dementia.

  • luckyfatherfairy on 12/12/2014 - 19:01

    +1 For Beyond the BLUE.

  • Moots on 12/12/2014 - 19:11

    CHA CHING.

  • heatseeker424 on 12/12/2014 - 19:20

    $10 from me

  • Gaz1 on 12/12/2014 - 19:38
    +1

    Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders does a lot of great work & isn't widely promoted.

  • kaboom mel on 12/12/2014 - 19:59

    $10

  • jesho on 12/12/2014 - 20:00

    Can i nominate Animals Australia? While i appreciate the great work other animal welfare organisations do, i really do appreciate the take no prisoners, in your face activism that AA employs (a la Animal Equality/PETA) to uncover and name and shame, truly inhumane practises. For me, the minimisation of animal cruelty cannot go too far.

    "Animals Australia's investigations investigations have been featured on every current affairs program in the country including Four Corners, 60 Minutes, Today Tonight, A Current Affair, The Project, Lateline and Landline. Investigations throughout the Middle East and South East Asia exposing cruelty in the live export trade resulted in the first ever suspension of live animal exports – to Egypt in 2006 then Indonesia in 2011 - and sweeping reforms to the operation of the entire industry. The organisation's investigation into the factory farming of pigs in Australia which aired on 60 Minutes was a catalyst to the pig industry agreeing to restrict the use of pregnant sow stalls by 2017."

  • 67Gateway on 12/12/2014 - 20:14

    Good on you ozbargain!

  • whirlpool_guy on 12/12/2014 - 20:32
    Suggested Bandaged Bear - The Children's Hospital at Westmead

    The Westmead hospital serve one of the most populous area in Australia. They need your support!!

  • JetBombat on 12/12/2014 - 20:33

    +50

  • savara on 12/12/2014 - 20:53

    Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders is doing great work in fighting Ebola

  • joey005 on 12/12/2014 - 20:54

    +1 to Beyond blue

  • Jayskies on 12/12/2014 - 22:00

    +$10
    RSPCA is definitely worthwhile!

  • mikeyb on 12/12/2014 - 22:45

    Great cause.

  • GameChanger on 12/12/2014 - 23:19
    -1

    $10

    Lets vote for a charity that doesn't use a large % for "research"…. in other words the board members excessive salaries.

  • chiefbodge on 13/12/2014 - 00:24

    Ooops I didn't read and voted :P

    • 1 for MSF. Planning on donating to them myself as well in the coming weeks.
  • This Guy on 13/12/2014 - 01:11
    Suggested Red Cross

    My vote will got to MSF, but Red Cross do a lot of work too!

  • sparkles on 13/12/2014 - 04:04

    $10!

  • B_S_D on 13/12/2014 - 07:33

    +$10 MSF

  • Blugok on 13/12/2014 - 08:14

    $10

  • aggregate on 13/12/2014 - 08:27

    $10

  • jim0519 on 13/12/2014 - 08:28

    Great OZBargain forum, you all are lovely guys, it is really a very meaningful event.

  • rvsure on 13/12/2014 - 08:53

    Great initiative Scotty. Proud to be an OzBargainer. MY vote is for Mission Australia.

    It would be good if we have links to these charities websites in the description so that people can quickly look into what they are doing and vote. Just a suggestion.

  • Kallo on 13/12/2014 - 09:51

    Thanks for doing this OzB

  • mrkite54 on 13/12/2014 - 10:01

    :-)

  • LadyCocoa1234 on 13/12/2014 - 10:09

    $10 :-)

  • sessionzero on 13/12/2014 - 10:21

    Great idea :-) +$10 donation simply commenting is the best OzB deal of all

  • bruzer86 on 13/12/2014 - 10:54

    This is awesome - what a generous gesture

  • Unrvl on 13/12/2014 - 11:41

    strange, i barely see any comments about beyond blue. yet its leading by quite a bit.. hmm.

    anyway i voted beyond blue, since im a previous strong anxiety suffer and i don't think the world quite understands how badly anxiety can affect you.

    • Unrvl on 13/12/2014 - 13:26

      nvm there is quite a lot of people talking about it.

      $10

  • TurnipHead on 13/12/2014 - 11:53

    +$10. Will be voting for MSF too for their tireless work on ebola and providing health care to the less privileged

  • kasumi on 13/12/2014 - 11:55
    Suggested Cerebral Palsy Alliance

    +1 to Cerebral Palsy Alliance - Worthwhile cause giving help to those suffering from the lifelong disability

  • MrRandomnez on 13/12/2014 - 12:00

    $10

  • ShamelessBargains on 13/12/2014 - 12:24

    Just commenting in to support these fantastic charities. I raised money for Smiling for Smiddy last year which was very challenging and rewarding. Every cent counts for these charities especially around Christmas time :)

  • MissLouise on 13/12/2014 - 13:04

    Great work guys! Will be hard to decide where to send my vote, lots of very worthy options!

  • [Deactivated] on 13/12/2014 - 13:10

    $10

  • CarrieLou on 13/12/2014 - 13:24

    +$10 :)

  • ChickenAdobo on 13/12/2014 - 13:47

    $10

  • Ecr1 on 13/12/2014 - 14:12

    Good to see Beyond Blue up the top. I'll be voting for them.

  • zvyx on 13/12/2014 - 14:15

    +1 for msf, and awesome stuff Scotty, hope this continues for years to come!

  • Bettercallphil on 13/12/2014 - 14:25

    Great initiative!

  • [Deactivated] on 13/12/2014 - 14:52

    Make-A-Wish Australia

  • yessum on 13/12/2014 - 15:09
    Suggested Royal Flying Doctor Service

    Just putting the Royal Flying Doctors in the mix but really they're all great causes, can't go wrong. They're not for profit but not sure about their charity status
    http://www.flyingdoctor.org.au

  • No ONE on 13/12/2014 - 16:36
    Suggested Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC)

    ASRC

  • mls82 on 13/12/2014 - 17:28

    Commenting for charity.

  • oddyseeh on 13/12/2014 - 18:42

    +1

  • pianissimo on 13/12/2014 - 19:33

    Not suggesting a charity as so many good ones have been nominated already. Thanks for doing this scotty.

  • Chris on 13/12/2014 - 19:35

    RSPCA because animals can't help themselves.

  • umoddbro on 13/12/2014 - 19:46

    RSPCA or a similar charity for animals. Animals bring so much joy to our lives and are the most helpless ones.

  • ozshark on 13/12/2014 - 20:17

    +$10 :)

  • PoorStudent on 13/12/2014 - 20:40

    +$10 from me

  • I-like-cheap on 13/12/2014 - 21:02

    I look forward to this every year, I wish we could donate to them all! Will be back to vote tmrw :)

    Good job guys!

  • kt on 13/12/2014 - 21:25

    What a great thing to do… Well done oz bargain team! My vote went to Beyond Blue

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