MARYLAND (Feb. 11, 2014) – A newly published research study shows that spending money on others makes you happy. So, donate to Cards for Charity on Indiegogo.com when the fundraising campaign begins on February 14 and have a happy Valentine’s Day!

This endeavor was triggered by a request for donations to help replace fishing boats destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan last November. By the time he learned about the Boats For Busuanga project, Johns Hopkins Assistant Professor of Medicine Alvin Sanico, like countless other individuals around the globe, had already donated to agencies that sent relief goods to stricken areas. However, the project that was started by his colleagues from the University of the Philippines College of Medicine is remarkable because it has measurable goals and long-term benefits.

“Give a man a fish and he lives for a day but give a fisherman a boat and his family lives for a lifetime,” Sanico says with a twist on an old saying. Noting that more than 6,000 people died due to the strongest storm in recorded history, he adds that “We cannot recover lost lives, but we can help revive lost livelihood.” What makes the project even more appealing is that beneficiaries will be asked to help international conservation efforts to protect endangered animals in the area.

The project needs the support of more than a few individuals to achieve its goals. In 2012, the creators of a tongue-in-cheek game called Cards Against Humanity were able to raise and donate $70,000 to Wikipedia. If Cards for Charity could generate even a fraction of that amount, it would already benefit many families in the local community. Contributors to the Indiegogo fundraising campaign can pick perks that include game cards, post cards and note cards.

Sanico, a geek dad who dabbles in games and graphic design, was responsible for configuring the game cards with the help of his uncle-in-law Michael Graham and renowned puzzle designer Scott Kim. The post cards and note cards feature the artwork of Graham, a retired American University Associate Professor whose paintings were recently on exhibit in Washington DC art galleries. Robin Abello, Executive Director of Friends of Tapulanga Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Maryland is managing the campaign. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Tapulanga Foundation, which has been providing scholarships and books to children in need through the help of benefactors from around the world since 2001.

The Cards for Charity fundraising campaign on Indiegogo.com can thus be summarized as follows: “Give folks a chance to earn. Give kids a chance to learn. Get cool cards in return.”

About Indiegogo
Indiegogo is an international crowd-funding site with headquarters in San Francisco, CA. Founded in 2008, it empowers ideas and enables people to donate funds easily.

Contacts
Robin Abello: 443-574-4778 Alvin Sanico: 410-357-1117
CardsForCharityCampaign@gmail.com

For an exclusive sneak peek at the Indiegogo campaign page before February 14: www.indiegogo.com