How to anonymously help
March 22, 2020 5:22 AM Subscribe
Help me beanplate sending folks small amounts of money anonymously ($20-$50 max)
Friend groups that cut across a lot of affected industries are really struggling. If I can, I want to help them with something. This is in-the-moment money- a tank of gas here, a grocery run there. I've done it spontaneously a few times using FB payments, but I'd rather have it be a surprise/secret. Can FB support this? Or is there no way to conceal the ID of the sender/provider?
Friend groups that cut across a lot of affected industries are really struggling. If I can, I want to help them with something. This is in-the-moment money- a tank of gas here, a grocery run there. I've done it spontaneously a few times using FB payments, but I'd rather have it be a surprise/secret. Can FB support this? Or is there no way to conceal the ID of the sender/provider?
Find a partner who can keep a secret. Give that person a list, they email recipients with a nice message, ask for paypal info, you paypal money to partner, they paypal to recipients.
thank you for being kind.
posted by theora55 at 6:22 AM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
thank you for being kind.
posted by theora55 at 6:22 AM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
If there are others in your friend group who have the means, maybe you could pool the gifts, so it is a collective thing, rather than an individual gift, lessening the reason for anonymity.
posted by umbú at 8:57 AM on March 22, 2020
posted by umbú at 8:57 AM on March 22, 2020
In Philadelphia, where only take-out food and drink is now allowed, people are donating to laid off restaurant servers who rely on tips by donating via the "Philly virtual tip jar ". Over 1100 servers signed up with their individual venmo or Paypal accounts. There is also a venmo link to donate to the group, which is split up by the site admin.
This is presented as a simple alphabetical Excel spreadsheet and isn't sophisticated, but regular patrons can transfer some cash to the servers at their favorite spots. For someone who wants to donate to a random person, this would be an excellent opportunity. Of course, when we do order take-out we are tipping as lavishly as we can to the staff that remains.
posted by citygirl at 2:12 PM on March 23, 2020
This is presented as a simple alphabetical Excel spreadsheet and isn't sophisticated, but regular patrons can transfer some cash to the servers at their favorite spots. For someone who wants to donate to a random person, this would be an excellent opportunity. Of course, when we do order take-out we are tipping as lavishly as we can to the staff that remains.
posted by citygirl at 2:12 PM on March 23, 2020
Response by poster: So- I guess nothing is possible via FB? I was hoping someone clever would be able to share their secret mystery donation process. :(
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:44 PM on March 26, 2020
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 3:44 PM on March 26, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 5:35 AM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]