Durham Nonprofit Celebrates Official Launch and National Volunteer Month with The Benefacting Volunteer Challenge

Competition for College Student Groups Uses New Online Tool to Turn Volunteer Hours into Charity Dollars for Triangle Nonprofits. End Quote

Durham, NC (1888PressRelease) April 03, 2012 - Benefacting, an online marketplace where people get together to sell or buy goods and services to benefit charity, is officially launching today, just in time for the April observance of National Volunteer Month. To celebrate, the Durham-based nonprofit is hosting a contest encouraging college students in the Triangle to give back. The Benefacting Volunteer Challenge runs April 1 through 30 and helps college students turn their volunteer time into charitable donations via its website, www.Benefacting.org.

It is the first and only website that helps drive charitable giving while allowing people to maximize their personal resources, skills and experiences. Revolutionizing philanthropy, Benefacting unites people who have goods or services to volunteer, those looking for goods and services, and charities that will benefit from the transaction. It's the only tool of its kind and is currently only available for use in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Here's how Benefacting works: Transactions on the website are called "Benefactions" and involve two people and a charity. The first person, known as the "Actor," posts details on Benefacting.org of a service he or she is willing to perform in exchange for a donation to charity. The second person contacts the Actor through Benefacting.org to express his or her interest in the service. The two people set up the specific details and agree to terms. The recipient of the service becomes the "Sponsor" and he or she makes a secure donation through PayPal directly to the charity.

"With Benefacting, you can volunteer any services from tutoring to walking a dog to painting a room," said Trevor Little, co-founder of Benefacting. "You volunteer doing what you want to do and do it whenever works best for your schedule. You can also sell a good, such as furniture or electronics, just like you would on Craigslist, but with proceeds supporting the charity of your choice."

Little and his co-founder Brad Lindsay are both computer coders by occupation. Their faith inspired them to not only give back but also encourage others to do the same. Thus, they got the idea to create Benefacting and set to work establishing the website. Today, it's a model where everyone wins: the Actor gives back, the Sponsor receives what he or she is looking for, and charities have a whole new fundraising channel.

The Benefacting Volunteer Challenge is set to accelerate the fundraising process by encouraging students to get involved and "compete for change." Student groups associated with Triangle colleges or universities can sign up at: http://www.benefacting.org/teams/new. There is no deadline to register; however, Benefactions must be completed before April 30 to be counted toward the contest so teams are encouraged to sign up soon. The group that raises the most money via Benefactions wins tickets to a Durham Bulls game. The group that raises the second highest amount using Benefactions will win a private improve comedy show for their group members at ComedyWorx in Raleigh. The individual who raises the most money will also be rewarded, taking home a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant.
By participating, student groups like national honor societies and Greek organizations that require community service hours can help members meet their requirements. Groups can even raise money for their charity of choice.

Continued Little, "Most people forget that we can use whatever abilities and resources we have to positively affect the lives of those in need. Even our hobbies can be put to good use. Our hope is that the contest will inspire students to not only make a difference now, but continue a lifetime of giving back."

The community is also invited to get involved. For every student that posts a service he or she is willing to donate, a Sponsor is needed to make the donation to charity. Additionally, outside of the contest, community members are encouraged to post their own Benefactions to support charities they are passionate about. To learn more about the contest, visit: www.benefacting.org/volunteer_challenge. To learn more about Benefacting, charity registration or general community giving through Benefacting, visit www.Benefacting.org.

About Benefacting:
Benefacting, a nonprofit organization based in Durham, N.C., officially launched in early 2012 for the Triangle community of North Carolina. It is the first and only tool that inspires volunteering by putting control of the activity, dollars and outcome completely in the user's hands, and all while raising money for his or her charity of choice. Its mission is "to help those in need by empowering people to support charities through simple transactions and unselfish acts." For more information, visit www.Benefacting.org. You can also join in the conversation at www.facebook.com/benefacting or http://twitter.com/benefacting/.

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