Doing Good On-The-Go: New App Elbi Offers a Deeper, Richer Charitable Giving Experience

NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Elbi, a new micro-philanthropy app, launches today, enabling people to do good on-the-go and give back to charitable causes in a range of new ways. Timed to launch during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), Elbi was developed as a global giving platform that builds a digital dialogue between charities and their supporters. In seconds, Elbi users can create content, send messages, vote or donate direct to charities via the app, becoming micro-fundraisers for the causes they care about.

"Elbi is a platform that brings the power of social and digital worlds to charities and connects them with people around the world. With Elbi, you can do little actions that make a big difference – that is what Elbi stands for," says Elbi co-founder, philanthropist and supermodel Natalia Vodianova. "Eleven years with Naked Heart Foundation has taught me that small actions can make a big difference. So often these stories are lost. Now all of us can take action straight from our phones and make a difference all over the world."

Elbi creates a new model of two-way interaction between charities and their supporters. Users can receive live updates from charities through the app, which demonstrate the impact of their support and engagement. Charities can celebrate their favorite pieces of user-generated content in the Elbi app, recognizing the users directly, as well as leveraging that content for their work in the field. For example, users can draw a picture to cheer up a sick child in a hospital or create content for classrooms in small, remote villages. By enabling non-financial interactions as well as donations, Elbi lets users engage with charities in a far richer way than just sending money.

"Elbi is pioneering a new model of micro-philanthropy where little digital actions that make someone's day can be just as valuable and rewarding as sending money," comments Elbi co-founder Timon Afinsky. "This is great news for the love rich, time poor. Contributing on Elbi can take seconds and make an instant and positive difference to recipients."

Elbi works with charities approved by the Internal Revenue Service and Charity Navigator in the U.S. and the Charity Commission in the UK. At launch, more than 31 charities will feature on Elbi, including Save the Children International, DonorsChoose, Hope for Children and Glasswing, as well as several charitable partners from the CGI network, such as Oceana, Smile Train and Conservation International.

"Elbi is a true game-changer for charities and the causes they represent," comments Elbi CEO Eugenia Makhlin. "We bring engaged, active audiences together in one place, enabling charities to find new supporters and drive engagement and donations through a range of easy-to-use tools that let charities build custom campaigns. We want to create a level playing field for all charities globally – little and big."

The Elbi app is available on iOS and can be downloaded from the App Store in the U.S. and the UK.

App Features and Functionality

• Campaigns – Approved charities can develop their own unique campaigns on Elbi that encourage users to take a specific action to benefit their causes.
• Deeds – Each day, the app features three deeds that charities put to the Elbi community. Users can take action by drawing a picture, writing a message, taking and uploading a photo, or voting on options specified by the charity. Once completed, the charity will send short thank you notes to users, who will receive campaign updates from beneficiaries through the charity on Elbi.
• Donations – Users can donate $1/£1 to any campaign on Elbi with a click of the Love Button. This modest but meaningful donation allows users to give and act regularly for the causes that inspire them. When the user first clicks the Love Button, the page diverts through Safari. Users are required to input their credit card details – this will be the only time they need to do so.
• User-Generated Content – Users can click on messages/photos/drawings to view them full-screen, see the name of the person who created the content and donate to the action with the Love Button. Other popular content is curated in "Community Faves" on the app home page.

The Elbi board, members of which serve pro-bono, includes notable leaders in technology and philanthropy, including: Jimmy Wales, Co-Founder, Wikipedia; Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post; Baroness Joanna Shields, UK Minister for Internet Safety & Security; Michael Birch, co-founder of Bebo; Michael Acton Smith, CEO and founder of Mind Candy; and Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination Entertainment.

What Our Advisory Board Says

Arianna Huffington: "Elbi provides an innovative, empowering mobile platform to help others. The Millennial generation is so eager to make a difference, and Elbi fits perfectly into their busy digital lives, giving them small but impactful ways to help others around the world. Nothing is more rewarding than doing good, and Elbi makes it easier than ever to feel good about giving back, while truly making a difference."

Baroness Joanna Shields: "Elbi enables young people to explore the power of "doing good" directly from their phones in a positive, inspiring and empowering way.  By providing encouraging words and deeds to others in their time of need, they discover empathy and compassion and the positive impact their actions can have on others.  Elbi is a wonderful journey of self-discovery. It's about connecting, helping others and feeling good about making a difference."

About Elbi

Elbi is a platform that leverages the power of social media and digital technology to connect people and charities from around the world. In today's world of digital connectivity, giving money shouldn't be the only option for making a difference. Elbi allows people to take daily action behind the causes close to their hearts. Elbi stands for little actions that can make a big difference. For each action people take or micro-donations they make through Elbi, they will receive an emotional reward in the form of an update from the charity, digital kiss from Elbi, and/or recognition from the community. When people give back on Elbi, it's no longer a one-way street. For more information, visit www.elbi.com

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SOURCE Elbi