CT nonprofits disappointed by end of Amazon charity donation program

Amazon's decision to end its charity donation program was met with disappointment from some Connecticut nonprofit groups that were beneficiaries of the program. The company launched AmazonSmile in 2013, which allowed customers to pick a charity to receive a donation from the company equal to 0.5 percent of their purchases. Roo Powell, who runs the New Haven-based nonprofit Safe from Online Sex Abuse, or SOSA, said the program provided an “easy, low-lift way” for people to donate to organizations like hers. The organization, which is dedicated to ending online child sex abuse, averaged about $300 per month in donations from AmazonSmile, Powell said that might not sound like a lot of money, but it's impactful for a small nonprofit with four-full time staff members and a limited budget. “Three hundred dollars might not seem like a lot, but our average monthly donor donates $25,” Powell said. “That’s like losing 12 donors a month.” Amazon said in a statement that it’s ending the program next month because it did not have as big of a reach as it intended. “With so many eligible organizations—more than 1 million globally—our ability to have an impact was often spread too thin,” the announcement said, noting the average donation was about $230. Charities that are part of the program can continue to accrue donations until it officially ends in February. Amazon will also give the charities a one-time donation equivalent to three months of what they earned in 2022 through the program. The news comes amid a new round of layoffs affecting 18,000 Amazon employees. Some Connecticut nonprofits that participate in the program said the decision would not have much of an impact. Josiah Brown, executive director of Connecticut Court Appointed Special Advocate, which advocates for abused and neglected children in the state, said the organization welcomes donations from a wide variety of sources and that Amazon Smile has not been a significant source of funding for its work. The organization has “never emphasized” AmazonSmile as a source for donations, Brown said, in part because the organization doesn’t want to undermine local businesses by promoting increased sales via “a national online corporation with limited ties to Connecticut.”

Recommended

CT nonprofits disappointed by Amazon decision to end charity donation program