Charitable Giving
This Freecell.net game site makes a small amount of money. But I
continue to view it as a hobby and am fortunate enough to not really
need the coinage that this does bring in.
Back when advertising paid better we were making about $12k/year but now ad revenue
has dropped off precipitously. I continue to donate the same amount but the site no
longer brings in anywhere near that.
But the little note about advertising is still true: after paying for hosting
we donate all ad revenue to charity. And I have dramatically reduced hosting costs
by going with a Namecheap VM. Seems to be pretty much the same perf-wise.
Update Dec 10, 2024
Wow, I just looked at ad revenue and it's only 1/5 of what it used to be.
Our traffic is holding up but ads aren't paying near what they used to.
Maybe in a few months when I retire I can figure out how to improve
things a bit (without just adding more ads though). But I gave the
usual $12000 to World Vision and UNICEF. Total (without the match)
is now $252,000. Som alltid, takk for playing (that's part Norwegian this time
which is what I'm working on now.)
Update Dec 20, 2023
Gave $12000 to World Vision and UNICEF as per usual.
Total (without the match) is now $240,000. Como siempre, thanks for playing.
Update Dec 6, 2022
Gave $12000 to World Vision and UNICEF as per usual. Found an improved way to give to World Vision with a 9x match
so that's pretty huge. Total (without the match) is now $228,000. As always, thanks for playing.
Update Dec 18, 2021
Gave $12000 to World Vision and UNICEF. Total is now $216,000. Thanks for playing!
.Update: Oct 26, 2020
Give $24000 to World Vision and UNICEF. Total is now $204,000. Thanks for all the
clicking!
Update: Dec 18, 2018
Gave $12000 to UNICEF, World Vision, and Hole in the Wall. That brings the total to $180,000
from your clicking. As always, thanks, and keep on doing the world some good by playing
Freecell.
Update: Nov 5, 2017
I've done the annual donations. Total is now $168,000 from your clicking. Thanks!
Update: Jan 1, 2017
I was late doing my giving for 2016. Hope the IRS will understand the
1 day difference (but I'm not optimistic.) Anyhow, another $12,000,
total is now $156,000 from your clicking. Thanks!
Update: Sep 25, 2015
Another $12,000, total is now $144,000.
Update: Nov 3, 2014
$12,000 donation, no matching this year because I no longer work at that
wonderfully generous company Microsoft. Thanks for all the good years,
Microsoft. Total is now $132,000. P.S. I now do my nerd thing for a little
local medical software company STC.
Update: Sep 9, 2013
Another $12,000 donation just went out bringing the total $77,000.
With matching I'll estimate we've given about $120,000 thanks to
Microsoft's generosity.
Update: June 22, 2012
Another $12,000 donation just went out bringing the total $65,000.
Microsoft has a new matching system and I think it'll be hard for folks
to slip through the cracks, so we can figure $24,000 went to needy causes
this year. So I'm going to guess we've given about $95,000 thanks to
Microsoft's generous matching.
Donations to date: $53000, Microsoft matches up to 100% but not
all charities seem to have taken advantage of that and I didn't start
submitting for matching until 2010, so maybe the total is around $71000.
Charities served:
- World Vision
-
We sponsor a child in Chile and have actually visited and seen the great
work they do first hand. They're very light on the religion and very focused on
really helping with health, housing, food, education, etc. all while making
sure not to trample local custom and culture.
To the right there are a pics of Angela from 2004 and also a pic of Angela from 2015.
Update: they've gotten that community in Chile to the point they feel their work is done and
we've been assigned a new child in Africa. Who knows, maybe we'll get to see her too.
-
UNICEF
-
This is a highly rated charity dealing specifically with the needs of children around the world.
- Hole in the Wall Gang Fund
-
Hole in the Wall Gang has gone to a four star rating with
CharityNavigator.org .
The Paul Newman book
Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good was
what inspired me to direct our proceeds to worthy causes. Fun book, check it out.
-
Rockefeller
Foundation
-
One time donation
for research for preventing heart disease in memory of my friend Tom Green (and heck, let's figger some of it's fer you too olblue).
And as for all you players out there, you can at least take comfort
from the fact that for every ad you view or click on in the course of
pursuing your Freecell addiction, you're at least doing some good for
some cause somewhere!
— Denny