United and Nepal Relief -- contribute and recieve up to 1,000 RDMs
 

I just saw that United has started some kind of Nepal relief effort through the website. I am happy to contribute I just wonder if anyone had had any negative or positive experiences with similar in the past. I give them credit for at least making the effort

My academic work is in disasters. This one is real nasty.

Followup

I sent in the contribution I put it under my flyertalk screen name. I think we should never miss a chance to remind United we are here.

Direct link for Nepal earthquake relief

some other examples
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...-mp-miles.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...arn-miles.html

good on united, and thanks for bringing it to our attention!

something i saw on my twitter feed that i also thought was generous of a corporation: should anyone here have friends/relatives in nepal, tmobile (US) won't charge for calls/sms to nepal through may 16.

or donate directly to the NGO...
 

while United's effort is commendable, the fundraising site they are managing this through takes a 9% processing fee. You'll see this if you go through the donation process (as I did) and are told that 100% of your stated amount ($250 was my plan) will go to the charity if you donate an additional $22.xx, i.e., donate $272 and $250 goes to the charity.

I will donate instead directly to the relief organization.

It is nice for United to do this, although the amount of matching funds seems quite small, $50K.

Note that the company they are using (Crowdrise) charges about a 9% tax on donations, which is pretty hefty IMO. I suggest donating directly to the charities, my favorite one being http://americares.com.

I gave them miles for the tsunami. Never got so much as a thank you much less a report on how/if my miles were used. I'll give through other avenues.

I fired off a note to UA commending them for being so responsive - and also to let them know that a whopping 9% of our donations don't get to the victims so I was donating directly. I'll let you know what they say - if anything. I honestly wonder if they know it's so high so I'm not ready to convict them just yet...

I think this is a good thing UA is doing. They should match over $50,000. That is chump change for a company the size of UA, and they can write it off.

Where does the 9% processing fee come from? (Or go to?:confused:)

According to the https://www.crowdrise.com/#why website:

Precisely. I strongly recommend looking at charitynavigator.com, which rates charities according to overhead and other key metrics. There are plenty that aren't that wasteful. For example, the one you mention -- Americares -- is very highly rated:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...9#.VT7bCSHnu5M

Although this one might be even better:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...0#.VT7cCCHnu5M

I would also be curious to know the tax deductability of the United offer. Clearly you are receiving something of value for your donation. I wonder what value they are placing on the miles.

Donated
 

Having been to Nepal numerous times I donated and wish all the people there well and a through recovery. Props to UA for doing this and hope the decide to double their offer if it is a huge success.^

That being said $9 to cover the fees is awful.

As a US born Nepali I'm just happy the more press anyone gives my parents' motherland.

No kidding. The press in the USA is horrible with this tragic event. Bruce Jenner is the lead story. Sad.

The USA needs to step it up and send $$$ and relief ASAP!

It's ridiculous. Will likely send a note to UA and the American Red Cross, and steer clear of using CrowdRise in the future. As others have noted, there are less costly avenues.

And what are you seeing from AA and DL?

Before blasting UA for not doing more, I think I'll credit UA with doing something.

FTF