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iTunes Store Now Accepting Donations for Philippine Typhoon Relief

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple has launched a new page on its iTunes Store allowing users to easily donate money to the American Red Cross toward Super Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts in the Philippines. The donation page, which is accessible through the main Apple.com page and the desktop iTunes Store, permits donations at the $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 levels.

ituneshaiyan2.jpg
Apple will transfer 100% of each donation directly to the American Red Cross, allowing users to have their donations seamlessly billed to their existing iTunes Store accounts. With Apple currently holding over 500 million iTunes Store accounts with credit cards attached, the company has a very significant customer base that can take advantage of the donation program.

Apple has conducted several similar campaigns in the past, most recently in October 2012 following Superstorm Sandy, in March 2011 following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and in January 2010 following the Haitian earthquakes.

Article Link: iTunes Store Now Accepting Donations for Philippine Typhoon Relief
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/11/12/itunes-store-now-accepting-donations-for-philippine-typhoon-relief/
U

usarioclave

macrumors 65816
Sep 26, 2003
1,447
1,506
Does anyone know how a charity gets on that page? The red cross is notorious for not spending its money on the specific disaster in question, husbanding the money for something else. Also, the donation is to the American Red Cross, even though the Philippines has its own Red Cross organization. Why?
 
S

sransari

macrumors 6502
Feb 11, 2005
363
130
usarioclave said:
Does anyone know how a charity gets on that page? The red cross is notorious for not spending its money on the specific disaster in question, husbanding the money for something else. Also, the donation is to the American Red Cross, even though the Philippines has its own Red Cross organization. Why?
Click to expand...

Thanks for mentioning all this so I don't have to...I really wish people would take more care when selecting charities. There are many better charities out there than the red cross, whose CEO makes over a million bux each year.
 
B

baruch

macrumors member
May 12, 2009
70
7
Red Cross no

The Red Cross keeps most of the money it receives to pay it's own expenses, including exorbitant salaries for upper management. If you want to make a donation to help people in the Philipines the Red Cross is NOT the way to go. Try http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org instead.
 
M

MyDesktopBroke

macrumors 6502
Jun 2, 2007
396
0
You can use Charity Navigator to look the charity you're think about donating to.

For example, Save The Children gets 64/70. Doctors Without Borders gets 57. Red Cross gets 56

There are many others to research, but any amount will help those in need in some way. Even if The Red Cross takes a bigger chunk for administrative purposes, they still spend a huge absolute amount on real aid.
 
japanime

japanime

macrumors 68030
Feb 27, 2006
2,916
4,844
Japan
Apple did the same thing after the horrific earthquake and tsunami struck Japan two and a half years ago. It's a fantastic gesture. I will be making my donation later today.
 
macs4nw

macs4nw

macrumors 601
Sep 21, 2010
4,336
1,933
Next-door from the little old lady from Pasadena..
Great to see Apple once again step up to the plate, and offer use of their massive payment system at no cost, for a very worthwhile cause.

Many people use iTunes cards, rather than credit cards, for their purchases, so Apple could potentially raise even more money, if they allowed iTunes store credit as donations. Either way, kudos to them!
 
J

jjneff

macrumors newbie
Aug 14, 2006
5
0
Thanks Apple just gave $10.00 and it was a joy and so easy. Thank-u for using your system for such a good cause
 
duffman9000

duffman9000

macrumors 68020
Sep 7, 2003
2,327
8,083
Deep in the Depths of CA
usarioclave said:
Does anyone know how a charity gets on that page? The red cross is notorious for not spending its money on the specific disaster in question, husbanding the money for something else. Also, the donation is to the American Red Cross, even though the Philippines has its own Red Cross organization. Why?
Click to expand...

Yup. I'd rather give to an organization that will dispense most of the money.
 
nagromme

nagromme

macrumors G5
May 2, 2002
12,546
1,196
dannyyankou said:
So we shouldn't donate so they won't have ANY money to spend on ANY aid? Sounds like a smart idea.

I mean, if the way they do business means that they have billions of dollars ready for potential disasters, I'm all for that. As for them keeping 9% of the money, they need to get paid.
Click to expand...

I agree. The Red Cross looks good enough to get my money, even if the criticisms are true (and I can certainly believe them):

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3277#.UoLomBaTLGI

I'd love to fast forward to a more perfect world and a more perfect Red Cross, but in the mean time, I'm ready to help the Red Cross help others.

Meanwhile, "hoarding" some fraction of my money for future disasters sounds necessary--I'm not sure how else this could be done. Some money given at this time goes to the next disaster, just as some money being spent ON this disaster came from previous times. How much is the right amount of reserve? I don't know, but I'm not looking to use it as an excuse not to help.


baruch said:
The Red Cross keeps most of the money it receives to pay it's own expenses, including exorbitant salaries for upper management. If you want to make a donation to help people in the Philipines the Red Cross is NOT the way to go. Try http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org instead.
Click to expand...

a) "Most" is simply very far from true. Charity Navigator has the numbers.

and b) Doctors Without Borders is also a great place to donate. I've given to them before and will again, so I'm with you there!
 
Solomani

Solomani

macrumors 601
Sep 25, 2012
4,785
10,477
Slapfish, North Carolina
I trust the American Red Cross. After all… everyone here has given blood, or knows someone close who has trusted to donate blood to the American Red Cross.

If you read the fine print on Apple's website link (from the ARC Typhoon Aid) before you choose donation amount…. the ARC describes how they will use your donation. True, there is a bit of vagueness there, but I trust that much of the money will actually be sent for aid to this particular disaster-stricken area.

Addendum: there is also the local chapter of Philippine Red Cross, but their website really does not make it easy for non-Filipinos to donate. No PayPal option, for example. Using USA credit card or cashier's check for an overseas donation? Forget it!

----------
japanime said:
Apple did the same thing after the horrific earthquake and tsunami struck Japan two and a half years ago. It's a fantastic gesture. I will be making my donation later today.
Click to expand...

Apple has been doing this type of call for donations via iTunes Store since Katrina, if I recall.
 
F

fredaroony

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2011
670
0
dumastudetto said:
This is incredible generosity from Apple. And only Apple can do this. This is one of the reasons I'm proud to be an Apple consumer.
Click to expand...

Um...what?? Only Apple can take donations from other people and pass them on??

I think they are doing a good thing by facilitating this but not to the extent your post makes it out to be.

Keep drinking your koolaid.
 
dumastudetto

dumastudetto

macrumors 603
Aug 28, 2013
5,017
7,139
Los Angeles, USA
fredaroony said:
Um...what?? Only Apple can take donations from other people and pass them on??

I think they are doing a good thing by facilitating this but not to the extent your post makes it out to be.

Keep drinking your koolaid.
Click to expand...

Only Apple has half a billion iTunes account holders. No other company can do what Apple is doing for good causes with the same huge reach. That's what Apple have a history of doing. Leveraging their enormous power and wealth for tremendous good.
 
F

fredaroony

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2011
670
0
dumastudetto said:
Only Apple has half a billion iTunes account holders. No other company can do what Apple is doing for good causes with the same huge reach. That's what Apple have a history of doing. Leveraging their enormous power and wealth for tremendous good.
Click to expand...

Um yeah and it's all good but I have not read anything where Apple is actually giving anything themselves.

You are over reaching on this..

Amazon are doing the same thing so your idea that only Apple can do this is nonsense.
 
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B

baruch

macrumors member
May 12, 2009
70
7
Solomani said:
I trust the American Red Cross. After all… everyone here has given blood, or knows someone close who has trusted to donate blood to the American Red Cross.

I was a first responder in New Orleans after Katrina and what I saw the Red Cross doing was appalling; distributing disgusting prepackaged food to locals while literally eating steak and salmon at their encampment while watching their big screen TVs, in tents! I won't give them a dime ever.
Click to expand...
 
Savor

Savor

Suspended
Jun 18, 2010
3,742
918
dumastudetto said:
This is incredible generosity from Apple. And only Apple can do this. This is one of the reasons I'm proud to be an Apple consumer.
Click to expand...
Samsung donated $1M of their own money. IKEA and Coca-Cola donated more than double.

Apple solicits money from iTunes even with $100B in the bank and have more money than many countries. They use their billions to build a brand new Apple complex or manufacturing machines.

Apple was never known to be the most charitable. Steve Jobs donated $65M to a hospital while Bill Gates can DONATE BILLIONS to Africa.

Is Apple generous? Yes. If it is YOUR money.

Using their own money? Not really.
 
F

fredaroony

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2011
670
0
Savor said:
Samsung donated $1M of their own money. IKEA and Coca-Cola donated more than double.

Apple solicits money from iTunes even with $100B in the bank and have more money than many countries. They use their billions to build a brand new Apple complex or manufacturing machines.

Apple was never known to be the most charitable. Steve Jobs donated $65M to a hospital while Bill Gates can DONATE BILLIONS to Africa.

Is Apple generous? Yes. If it is YOUR money.

Using their own money? Not really.
Click to expand...

Exactly x 1000, the poster you replied to is delusional.
 
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