WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 16, 2008 - The tradition of giving during Ramadan - one's zakat and sadaqah - is rooted in the belief of selfless compassion and a redistribution of wealth. Unfortunately, many Muslims in the U.S. struggle with giving money safely to organizations at home or abroad, with the assurance that it is going to the right place. But thanks to GlobalGiving, the innovative marketplace for online giving, the Muslim community now has a new option - GlobalGiving Ramadan.

"My friends and I wrestled with the issue of giving safely and securely during Ramadan for years," said Saima Zaman, Program Officer at GlobalGiving. "We started giving circles in college, during which we would share giving ideas; but this was a limited solution, based on personal knowledge rather than a broad, well researched resource."

In 2006, Saima started working with GlobalGiving to create a safe, online Ramadan initiative that would be a better solution for Muslims to give back. Today, through www.globalgiving.com/ramadan, Muslim donors can scroll through a number of projects and select the cause most meaningful to them. All projects on the GlobalGiving Ramadan site are run by reputable organizations that satisfy IRS guidelines for international grant making, meet tax-deductible requirements, and follow anti-terrorism laws. GlobalGiving also provides a zakat calculator so donors can determine how much to give during Ramadan. And over the last 2 years, online giving during Ramadan has increased by over 400%.

"Ramadan brings out the best in me. When I have food and all the blessings, especially in the month of Ramadan, it makes me want to help others who don't have as much," said Hinna Mansoor, who is using GlobalGiving to make her charitable donations for the second year in a row. "I was blown away by the GlobalGiving website "“ it was so easy!"

This year, GlobalGiving is partnering with Mecca.com, one of the world's biggest online communities for Muslims, to help get the word out about GlobalGiving’s Ramadan giving options. And for every 5 donors who register on the Mecca.com website, Mecca will make an additional contribution towards projects it is supporting.

"Partnering with Mecca.com is a terrific opportunity and the logical next step for us to reach a broader community of Muslims worldwide," added Zaman.

GlobalGiving believes in transparency from start to finish. Once the donor gives to the cause of their choice, they will see the impact of their donation over time through regular updates from project leaders. Donors can even contact and build relationships with the project leaders directly, deepening the connection between individuals and communities from around the world.

About GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving is an easy-to-use online marketplace that connects people to the causes they care most about. Donors select the locally run projects they want to fund, helping to make lasting change throughout the world. You choose exactly where you want your money to go and we get it there - it's that simple. Since its launch in 2002, GlobalGiving has helped thousands of donors give over $12 million to approximately 1,000 projects. GlobalGiving is based in Washington, D.C.

About Mecca.com
Mecca.com offers a point of solidarity for online Muslims worldwide. Our goal is to promote and reinforce an inspiring, positive image of the strong values that Muslims bring to their respective communities everywhere. At Mecca.com, we help Muslims everywhere come closer to achieving their own personal dreams "“ whatever they may be. Together, anything is possible.

GlobalGiving

GlobalGiving

GlobalGiving is the first and largest global crowdfunding community. We promote a virtuous circle of good by helping nonprofits, individual donors, and companies enhance the effectiveness of locally-led projects around the world. We work with companies on their strategic community investment, employee engagement and cause marketing programs to strengthen thousands of nonprofits in more than 165 countries.

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