With 3.5 million people receiving their $10,000 Government Payout early, childhood friends Jody Tam and Cham Ho had a great idea; let’s make sure it goes to the people who need it most.
Having seen NGOs in Hong Kong cut staff, operations and services due to the Covid-19 pandemic over the past 5 months, the team quickly whipped up a scheme called the Payout Giveback, where Hong Kong citizens can pool part or all of their collective cheques to give to NGOs that can take every dollar further.
“Over one million people in Hong Kong count on NGOs for basic necessities and critical support” said Jody Tam, a lifelong resident of Hong Kong. “And honestly my first instinct was to spend the $10,000 on something I didn’t need. Many around me were probably going to do the same, while some will actual need it to survive. So, I wanted to do something about it”.
Partnering with 4 grassroots NGOs: HER fund, Impact HK, Love 21 Foundation, and The Zubin Foundation, Payout Giveback aims to generate awareness of the effect of the pandemic has had on NGOs and their fundraising efforts, and what our contributions and resource mobilisation can actually do to help the marginalised in Hong Kong.
In collaboration with registered charity, Hong Kong Round Table’s “Million Dollar Challenge”, Jody and Cham hope that the collective action will smash the $1,000,000 target.
“Every dollar we receive will go to our partnered NGOs. It only takes 1,000 people to donate $1,000 to reach one million, which isn’t unrealistic at all. Sure, we can all get the new iPhone or some new shoes, but I think a lot of people want to do something that can make a lasting difference. So, we wanted to see how much this city can collectively achieve by creating something that just requires a simple click of a button. I hope it influences people to realise positive change is easier than you think” Jody continued
Payout Giveback launches on July 10th and will run for one month. Donors will be able to choose exactly how much they want to donate the cause they resonate with, and the platform can be found by visiting: www.payoutgiveback.com