A Blue Hat for Haiti

I woke up this morning and found my son playing his favorite game Roblox, a kids virtual world and one of our portfolio companies, where one of the unique things is that the kids/users create all the worlds.  Nothing unusual in the fact that he was playing, but today my son was playing one that seemed a little different - and it turns out that some user had created a virtual word of Haiti inside Roblox, complete with ongoing earthquakes.  Then he told me about the Blue Hat for Haiti he was wearing, and that when he bought it $.10 goes to Haiti via the American Red Cross directly from Roblox.  Right now my son is creating his own world in Roblox about Haiti, and he's going to donate $.10 of his own money for every person who visits it.

He also has the Red Hat for Haiti which costs more but donates $.65, and other kids are creating T-Shirts that say Pray for Haiti and more.  It's hard for adults to try to understand what's happened in Haiti and how to help, and it's great to see kids finding ways to engage and help via virtual goods and virtual worlds in their own way.

Another portfolio company myYearbook.com has redirected its already meaningful charity efforts towards Haiti - see the post below where their members have already generated $250,000 through 2009 via their Causes progam. Other technology companies are stepping up in a big way as well.

myYearbook Members Respond to Haiti Catastrophe

January 15th, 2010

We at myYearbook are horrified by the news and images coming out of Haiti. On Wednesday of this week, the company added the Haiti Relief Fund as a Featured Cause in the Causes application, so that members could show their support through Lunch Money donations and earn profile badges. As the day progressed, the response from our members was overwhelming.

The company also posted a featured article urging members to provide financial support direct to charities that pledge to help victims of the catastrophe.  myYearbook makes monthly donations on behalf of its members to 16 different charities that are chosen by our users.  We have donated over $250,000 in 2009 through our Causes application, which is apportioned based on the Lunch Money giving of our members.  For the month of January, we have pledged to give at least $15,000 and up to $25,000 for Haiti relief based on the percent of Lunch Money directed to each cause by our members. The company has also made Haiti Relief the Featured Cause for the month in our Causes application. After January, the company will continue to include Haiti Relief as a cause throughout 2010 to which members can donate Lunch Money.

Thank you to all members for their continued contributions, and we urge you to continue to show your support.