If you aren’t aware, Amazon has an alternative website named Smile and it operates under a unique domain at https://smile.amazon.com. Through this program, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price of specific products to the charity of your choice. The charity list*** is quite long and it’s relatively easy to sign up. All you do is go to https://smile.amazon.com (log in if you are not already logged into Amazon) and it will push you to select a charity. Search for the ***charity you prefer and a portion of some sales are automagically donated.
***A quick search turned up this page (at http://www.pajiba.com) with charities identified as doing important work if you dislike the ongoing efforts of the Trump Administration. Most, but not quite all, of the charities on this list are available for donations through Amazon Smile.
Now, you may forget from time to time and, while Amazon does remind you, it’s best to set up your browser to go there automatically. For each major browser, someone has developed a redirecting browser add-on to automatically navigate you from www.amazon.com to smile.amazon.com. Here is a list:
- Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/smile-always/jgpmhnmjbhgkhpbgelalfpplebgfjmbf?hl=en
- Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/amazonsmileredirector/
- Safari: https://safari-extensions.apple.com/details/?id=net.evanm.smileallday-488QU6QR94
- Explorer/Edge: A few minutes searching offered no solutions, so maybe these are no longer “major browsers.” If one does not exist, you can add a shortcut to your browser bookmark bar or as a Windows shortcut in your Start Menu.
Don’t expect to rack up major donations at 0.5% percent, but every little bit counts and this won’t require much more than a quick setup on a few computers. Even if you aren’t concerned over current political issues, please take a few minutes to choose a charity supporting an organization in your region such as local PTAs, conservancy efforts, or a children’s hospital. Thank you.
