Giving to those we care about is a rewarding experience, and it is even sweeter when we can give to those that are truly in need. Honeybux combines the best of both worlds with their virtual gift card platform. They provide a range of gift cards for loved ones to choose from, each of which have a minimum $5 donation to the charity of the recipient’s choice. Honeybux is paving the way for gifts that truly keep on giving.
Honeybux had a soft launch in August 2021 with the goal to combine electronic gift card buying with giving back. “Honeybux is the brainchild of the Anonymously Yours Foundation, which is our mothership organization,” explains Randi Nandyal, director of engagement for Honeybux and daughter of the nonprofit’s founders. “We aim to inspire people and promote and instill philanthropy.” They realized there was a huge need for virtual gift cards and wanted to provide a solution that could support their philanthropic mission along the way.
With Honeybux, people can purchase Honeybux in increments of $25 or more with a minimum added $5 donation. Once the Honeybux have been purchased, an email is sent to the recipient to redeem the funds for any gift card on the site, of which there are many mainstream options to choose from. The donation amount can be given to any charity on the site of the recipient’s choice, which includes a range of both national and local charities. “The user gets to decide where all of the dollars go for both the charity and the gift card,” explains Randi. “Recipients can even choose to give their entire gift card amount to the charity of their choice instead of using it for themselves if they want to.”
One of the goals of Honeybux is to normalize donations and encourage people to give, even if it is in small amounts. “I think a lot of people cannot give largely and then don’t give at all because they don’t think they can make a big impact,” Randi explains. “We want to instill that that smaller level of philanthropy can make a difference.” For many charities, small donations are what keep them going long-term. While large donations are of course helpful, it is the combined effort of many charitable people giving what they can that allows nonprofits to do a majority of the work they do.
Honeybux sees the potential in bringing more people together to support those in need, which is why they are partnering with local businesses in the community. Many businesses like to recognize their staff with a gift card, and Honeybux is the perfect option. Not only does the giver not have to go to a store and have the pressure of picking out the right gift card, they are also giving their staff an opportunity to support a nonprofit that they care about and make a difference. “We already know there is a lot of give back that happens in the community, especially between employer and employees or between individuals,” says Randi. “We want to be able to marry giving to each other and giving back to the community at the same time.”
In the short time since their launch, Honeybux has already partnered with local businessowner Chris Hallett, a financial advisor for Edward Jones in Tenino. Philanthropy has been close to his heart as he has been a longtime supporter of Raise for Rowyn and the Tenino Food Bank. As a nonprofit board member, he has seen firsthand how every little bit can truly change lives. “People say they only have $5 to give and won’t do it because they are embarrassed, but if 20 people gave $5, that is $100 to that organization,” says Chris. “The organization wins no matter what because it all adds up.” With Honeybux, people can give small amounts without hesitation and begin to see how important it is to continue these efforts.
Chris is personally thrilled about the Honeybux platform because of how well it combines his philanthropic values and his current staff recognition efforts. “Historically I have done gift cards for my staff at Christmastime, and I am at the mercy of what is on the shelf at the grocery store,” he says. “Now in a matter of seconds, I can give a gift and donation amount by just entering a name and email address, and it even saves my contacts so I don’t have to reinvent the wheel next year.” For Chris, giving is a big part of who he is, so he loves the idea of giving his staff the opportunity to do the same. “Everyone has a meaningful charity in their mind, but they can’t always help them, so this works around that,” he says. “It also opens up a dialogue where you can learn about your employees and what matters to them.”
Randi has been so thrilled with the participation and giveback so far, and cannot wait to see what lies ahead for Honeybux. In just few short months, Honeybux recipients have given to 87 unique charities. “If anyone out there aligns with Chris and his idea of philanthropy, Honeybux is a great option,” says Randi. “We are looking to partner with more people with that generous spirit.” To learn more, email Randi at randi@honeybux.org. Give the gift that keeps on giving by sending Honeybux today!
