From November 30th to December 4th 2015, Google San Francisco hosted their annual Giving Week, highlighting one organization each day and encouraging employees to donate to their favorite organizations. GiveDirectly was chosen as one of very few charities featured during that week.
Not only did Google employees step up to support direct cash transfers to families in need, three employees, Matthew Levine, William Chan, and Jacquelline Fuller, Director of Google.org, who also serves on GiveDirectly’s board, acted as “sponsors” for GiveDirectly, matching donations made by other employees.
Google, specifically Google.org, has been an early and long-time supporter of GiveDirectly’s cash transfers. In 2012, Google.org supported GiveDirectly with a $2.4 million Global Impact Award. This grant helped GiveDirectly scale up it’s operations in Kenya and expand into Uganda, reaching thousands more individuals in extreme poverty.
Google’s support of GiveDirectly, through both Google.org grants and individual employee donations, represents increasing confidence in our direct cash transfers. For anyone looking for ways to spread the word and increase their impact, an employer-sponsored program like Google’s is one excellent option. Please don’t hesitate to email us at info@givedirectly.org if you are interested in setting up a giving campaign at your own workplace.