Apple has begun promoting Apple Pay as a way for people to donate to several causes amid the ongoing global health crisis. Apple has highlighted four causes in particular that users can donate too with Apple Pay. All the fundraising appeals are on behalf of GoFundMe.org.
America's Food Fund, launched by Leonardo DiCaprio, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Apple, is working to ensure that all people have reliable access to food in this critical time of need.
Frontline Responders Fund is focusing all its resources on getting critical supplies including masks, gowns, and gloves to medical professionals in hospitals across the world.
The Mental Health Fund aims to support the work of several organizations hosting text-based hotlines that offer crisis intervention and a gateway to long-term care.
The Small Business Relief Fund provides micro-grants to qualifying small businesses negatively impacted by the health crisis. The initiative will supply financial assistance and support to U.S. businesses by providing grants, tools, and resources to help during the crisis.
Apple says Apple Pay is the easiest way to donate to the causes you care about: "With no forms to fill out or accounts to create, you can instantly give with just a tap."
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"100% of donations (less the 2.9% and $0.30 per donation transaction fee) will go directly to these organizations as they continue to coordinate, mobilize, and distribute meals to those impacted by COVID-19."
They've raised $14,202,400 so far. 2.9% of that is $411,869.60.
Must. Be. Nice.
Of which Visa immediately takes 1.35% and $0.05, Mastercard takes 2% + $.10 for interchange. Plus the cut GoFundMe's merchant bank takes to cover their risk. And the costs of fraud and the services used to detect it. And the costs of your compliance lawyers, since charities are regulated. And at this point we haven't paid for GoFundMe's servers, software engineers, sales and marketing...
Meanwhile, 1.35% is less than the 2% rewards e.g. Chase Double Cash gives out, and doesn't cover the free interest or costs on the Apple/GS side, so the banks are losing money.
Easy to armchair quarterback a business when you don't consider any of the real costs.
That’s great, these all seem like very urgent and important funds. But I have two questions.
- Where has Apple promoted these funds? Is there a press release or an ad or something?
- I was confused by the following line in the article:
All the fundraising appeals are on behalf of GoFundMe.org ('https://www.gofundme.com').
Isn’t GoFundMe just a fundraising platform? Doesn’t “on behalf of” mean that they are the ones who are ultimately asking for or benefitting from these funds? Unless I’m not aware of a different use of the phrase.
