It is harder to ignore the need than to see it

[Once_Eagle-Always_Eagle]

All you have to do is turn on the news and see- whether it is in the tragic tornadoes that devastated Tuscaloosa and Joplin, or the families that have been flooded in South Louisiana in order to save a larger population further down river, families across America are in need. As I look around my own house, it is easy to see the abundance I have been blessed with. I only have to open my closets or walk into my garage or shop and I find stuff that I havent used in years. However, these things can help these same families whose need is so great right now and the infrastructure is already built The American Red Cross. The American Red Cross shows up in these and other declared disaster areas to help these families. While they cant erase the grief, they provide food, shelter and a change of clothes while families begin their own recovery.

 

So what is the call to action?

1) Look around your house, garage, closet, storage building, attic, bookshelves, etc. Find those things that you keep telling yourself youll get rid of one day maybe the stuff you plan to sell in your next garage sale the things youll never even miss.

2) List those items on eBay. I would encourage you to give 100% of the sale price, but determine your own percentage according to your conscience. Simply specify the Red Cross as the recipient of your auction proceeds when you list your item. eBay even gives a credit of selling fees according to the percentage you give. (e.g. a 50% donation is a 50% credit on selling fees, an 80% donation is an 80% credit on selling fees, a 100% donation gives a 100% credit on eBay fees).

a. http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=5da1aeb95d6cc210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextchannel=46f51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD

b. http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/GivingWorks-fee-policy.html

3) After you list your own things to sell, look to see what other people are selling to benefit the Red Cross and bid high- especially for those that are giving larger percentages.

a. http://donations.ebay.com/charity/charity.jsp?NP_ID=3843&searchString=&submit=Search&sortOrder=-4

4) Share this challenge (email, blogs, web posts) with friends and family encouraging them to do the same.