mGiving: New York Food Rescue Organization Uses QR Codes to Facilitate Mobile Donations

Written on Wednesday, December 22, 2010

New York, NY - November 23rd - With demand for emergency food at record high levels, City Harvest is reaching donors with an innovative advertising campaign that uses technology commonly used by for-profit marketers but new to fundraisers. On advertisements in print, phone kiosks, transit shelters, and on Facebook, City Harvest has incorporated a QR code, which functions like a barcode and can be scanned by mobile phones.

This cutting edge technology offers donors the highest level of flexibility. Cell phone users that scan the QR code will immediately have the option to go to the City Harvest website, read facts about City Harvest, view a video illustrating City Harvest's work, and make a donation online or by clicking a button to call City Harvest directly. Donors can choose the amount they wish to donate and get more information about City Harvest at the touch of a button.

The QR codes can be found on City Harvest's new advertising campaign featuring New York City residents that have taken action to fight hunger. Though the food City Harvest rescues and delivers is donated, City Harvest needs cash donations to maintain their trucks and staff that are essential to picking up and distributing food. The advertisements demonstrate the impact of donors who pull out their wallet or checkbook in helping City Harvest feed more hungry New Yorkers.

"In an era of mobile technology, potential donors want and expect to be able to act immediately," said Jilly Stephens, executive director of City Harvest. "QR codes allow New Yorkers just learning about City Harvest to get more information quickly and easily as well as give."

“QR codes are changing the future of donor-charity relationships. They allow nonprofits to interact with their donors by exchanging engaging content,” said Irina Skaya, marketing manager at Horizon Media. “QR codes can be used without monthly running costs and function without limiting the dollar amount donors give to the nonprofit.”

Despite other indicators that the recession has ended, agencies served by City Harvest have reported no relief since demand for emergency food spiked last year. City Harvest works to meet greater need at soup kitchens and food pantries by rescuing and delivering food to some 600 programs throughout the five boroughs. Currently, City Harvest helps feed over 300,000 hungry men, women, and children each week.

About City Harvest

Now serving New York City for more than 25 years, City Harvest (cityharvest.org) is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women, and children. This year, City Harvest will collect 28 million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to nearly 600 community food programs throughout New York City using a fleet of trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 300,000 hungry New Yorkers find their next meal.

City Harvest also addresses conditions that surround hunger in New York City by educating individuals, families, and communities in the prevention of diet-related diseases, channeling a greater amount of local farm food into high-need areas, enhancing the ability of our agency partners to feed hungry men, women, and children, and supporting affordable access to nutritious food in low-income communities.

Finally, here's an ad that featured in New York's TimeOut Magazine:

Posted in mobile services, press releases, QR codes |