LivingSocial's Second Annual 12 Days of Giving Raises $130,000 for U.S. and International Charities

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The holiday decorations may be packed away, but LivingSocial is still celebrating the season of giving. Running December 13 through Christmas Eve, LivingSocial's second annual 12 Days of Giving allowed members in its 136 markets worldwide (at the time) to gift unique experiences, from travel adventures, to relaxing spa treatments, to house-cleaning services. By dedicating one percent of its proceeds during this period, LivingSocial raised $100,780.67 for US-based DonorsChoose.org, and $29,323.93 for the international organization GlobalGiving for a combined total of $130,104.60.

"When we introduced 12 Days of Giving in 2009, we were in five markets," says CEO Tim O'Shaughnessy. "In one short year, we grew tremendously, engaging with local customers and merchants in more than 130 markets in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and Australia.  The value that we bring to our charitable partners grows as we do. We are proud to contribute to two organizations really making a difference on a local level."

Just as LivingSocial offers local daily deals and experiences to shoppers in the US and abroad, DonorsChoose.org and GlobalGiving focus on providing crucial financial support to local classrooms and projects. DonorsChoose.org empowers people to improve public education by donating supplies directly to classrooms in need, while GlobalGiving connects people with local causes and projects.

"It is through partnerships with companies such as LivingSocial that we can truly effect change on a local, grassroots level," says Elaine Perez, East regional director for DonorsChoose.org. "Thanks to programs like 12 Days of Giving, our organization will benefit classrooms across the US, providing them with much needed supplies, from pricier items like new microscopes and maps for the classroom, to more basic needs like standard school supplies."  

"Funds raised through LivingSocial's international 12 Days of Giving program help unleash the potential of people around the world to make positive change," said Donna Callejon, Chief Business Officer for GlobalGiving.

LivingSocial currently offers more than 16 million shoppers around the globe one-of-a-kind experiences at a significant cost savings of at least 50%. For a full list of markets where LivingSocial is live or to sign up to receive Daily Deals, please visit http://www.livingsocial.com.

For more information on DonorsChoose.org, visit http://www.donorschoose.org. Additional information on GlobalGiving can be found at http://www.globalgiving.org.

About LivingSocial

LivingSocial adds surprise to every calendar with handpicked daily deals you can share with friends.  Members enjoy at least 50% off on the coolest, local experiences. Local business owners get an easy and cost effective marketing tool to attract new, loyal customers. In 2010 one of the fastest growing companies in the space expanded with LivingSocial Escapes offering a "vacation in a box" for easy weekend trips at great value.  Based in Washington, DC, the international brand and has saved its more than 16 million subscribers more than $238M in 150+ markets.

Sign up for daily deals in your market for free or find out more information about LivingSocial at www.livingsocial.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/livingsocial.

About DonorsChoose.org

Founded in 2000 by a social studies teacher in the Bronx, DonorsChoose.org is a nonprofit website where public school teachers describe specific educational projects for their students, and donors can choose the projects they want to support. After completing a project, the donor hears back from the classroom they supported in the form of photographs and student thank-you letters. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. In the past ten years of operation, residents of 50 states and 10 countries have funded 176,690 student projects, channeling more than $72 million in resources to over 4 million students.

About GlobalGiving

GlobalGiving (www.globalgiving.org) enables individuals and organizations to find and direct funds to high-impact, grassroots projects. By aggregating many donors, GlobalGiving is creating a new source of funding for people with innovative solutions to challenging world issues. Corporate partners include Pepsi, Discovery Communications, Gap, Inc., Ford Motor Company, and Nike, among others. In addition, major funding partners include Omidyar Network, the Hewlett Foundation, Sall Family Foundation. To date the GlobalGiving community has made over $34 million in contributions to more than 3,400 projects around the world.

SOURCE LivingSocial