Atlanta-based fintech startup Softgiving is partnering with local rapper and Grammy-nominated artist Jeezy to develop a new way to donate to his charity, Street Dreamz Foundation.
Softgiving develops fundraising software for nonprofits such as Jeezy's foundation, which provides opportunities and tech to at-risk youth. Founded in 2001, the Street Dreamz Foundation strives to encourage young people to "become effective leaders through programs that foster independence and respect for others, while educating and motivating each child to reach their ultimate potential in their area of interest," according to the organization's website.
"I created the Street Dreamz Foundation to support the community by giving at-risk kids greater access to technology. With Softgiving, everyone can help impact a child's life by simply giving their spare change," Jeezy said in a statement. "Our mission is to provide a platform and encourage the next generation of leaders to excel in the world we live in today and technology plays a huge role in that. Every cent helps to provide these kids with access to technology and e-learning tools."
Using Softgiving's Change solution, a recurring donation web application, for his charity, Street Dreamz Foundation., donors will be able to give small, customizable and tax deductible donations to Jeezy's charity.
"it’s really exciting to think that through the work we’re doing, these kids might turn out to be software developers themselves."
"Change allows someone to give micro recurring donations," Softgiving CEO Matt Pfaltzgraf said. "So instead of asking for somebody for a large one time amount or a higher per month amount that tends to make it difficult for a lot of people to give, we break it down where someone just selects the amount of change they want to give per day and we debit them based on a schedule so those debits are small and mostly go unnoticed in their bank account."
Donors will be able to set up donation plans through links posted on Jeezy's Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as the charity's website. In a few days, Pfaltzgraf said Softgiving will roll out a new fundraising web application which will allow donors to be able to give with just a couple clicks through mobile wallets, including PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
"It’s kind of like Amazon one-click but for charitable donations and can be used by new or returning donors," he said. "You never have to set up an account to use it."
The partnership started about a year ago, Pfaltzgraf said, when Jeezy and his team visited the Atlanta Tech Village (where Softgiving's office was at the time) to see if the incubator could donate any spare computers to help underserved schools and classrooms in the Atlanta area. Someone at ATV connected them to Softgiving.
"It’s fantastic," Pfaltzgraf said of the partnership. "We are using software that was built here in Atlanta to help Atlanta. We’re using innovative technology to get technology into the hands of those who might otherwise not receive it and it’s really exciting to think that through the work we’re doing, these kids might turn out to be software developers themselves and work in the tech field … And that's what makes it so great what Jeezy’s doing and we’re happy to be a part of helping him do that."
