Day 291: The Tibet Fund

During the Super Bowl there was a commercial for Groupon that has caused a lot controversy. It boldly makes light of the human crisis in Tibet, murder and human suffering is never something to make fun of, even if your intentions are good. I could have made better use of the 3 million + spent on that ad. But, the curious mind in me decided to dig deeper as to why Groupon would release an ad such as this. Here’s the reason why: http://savethemoney.groupon.com

Save the money is Groupon’s attempt to promote philanthropy and get back to their ThePoint.com roots, by encouraging users to make donations and have those donations matched by Groupon. 100% of the contributions go directly to the charitable organization.

While their method is insensitive and reeks of poor communication, I hope it provokes many people to dig deeper and make a contribution to the organizations Groupon is trying to raise money for. Instead of reacting negatively to a negative ad, I am opting to take positive action and donating to the Tibet Fund and making Groupon pay for their misstep and match my donation. I’m sure the apology is coming, but let’s focus on the positive action we can take to help these causes.

The Tibet Fund was founded in 1981 at a time when the international community had seemingly forgotten the people of Tibet, though they remained under Chinese occupation. In the early years of exile, the refugees’ survival depended on the generosity of the governments of India, Nepal and Bhutan, the UN High Commission for Refugees, foreign donor agencies, and the hard work, faith and tenacity of the refugees themselves.

Over the past 28 years, The Tibet Fund has worked closely with the Central Tibetan Administration to address the health, educational, cultural, economic and community development needs of the refugee community. While the Fund has steadily increased its program support to more than $5.5 million annually, the arrival of thousands of refugees each year is placing a severe strain on the existing settlement system. The Tibet Fund will continue to focus its efforts on strengthening the exile community, for it is here that Tibetan culture and national identity are being sustained.

Amount Donated: $15 (matched by Groupon)

To support The Tibet Fund, please visit: http://www.tibetfund.org or Donate Here and make Groupon match your donation!