We've Moved!

Shorter url and new design improvements—we've moved permanently to www.thespud.org. Please visit us there!

PSA to all fans of The Spud

Our site—thespud.org—is undergoing a facelift. Please check back on June 1 for the debut of our new design improvements! In the meantime, we're also at thespudorg.blogspot.com.

Project #19 Update

Thanks to the 4 new people who liked us on Facebook + 1 new Twitter follower, we donated $5 to Against Malaria. That's the cost of one bed net!

Project #19: Help Buy Nets to Prevent Malaria

Malaria kills an estimated one to three million people each year, about 70 percent of them children (that's about one child every 30 seconds). But malaria is preventable and treatable. One simple solution: bed nets treated with insecticide. The nets protect against malaria-carrying mosquitoes at night, and kill mosquitoes on contact. The cost of each bed net? Just $5 through Against Malaria.100 percent of donations goes towards buying and distributing bed nets to countries most affected by the disease. Peer-to-Peer Match: The Spud will match the first $100 donated through The Spud's Against Malaria page by Friday. Additionally, we'll donate $1 for each new person who "likes" us on Facebook or follows us on Twitter (up to $250) by then. We're on Facebook here, and on Twitter here. Photo credit: Against Malaria

Project #18 Update

Thanks to the 31 new people who "like" us on Facebook and 5 new Twitter followers, we donated $36 to Trickle Up! Your support will help the extreme poor take their first steps out of poverty!

Project #18: Help Provide Seed Capital Grants for Those Making Less Than $1.25 a Day

On a trip to the Caribbean over 30 years ago, Glen and Mildred Robbins gave ten people grants of $100 each to launch their own microenterprises—marking the start of their simple, direct, bottom-up approach to poverty alleviation. The nonprofit they started, Trickle Up, has since helped those making less than $1.25 a day—the extreme poor who aren't able to secure microloans—start or expand 150,000 small-scale businesses in Africa, Asia and Central America like Talam Maiga who started a food stand in Mali and Sormaya Gurung who now raises pigs in Nepal. How it works: Trickle Up provides the business training, then disperses seed capital in two installments, to help locals launch their business, and at a later date to help them grow their business. Help Trickle Up reach its goal of starting or expanding 10,000 businesses this year. Peer-to-Peer Match: The Spud will match the first $100 in donations. Donate in any amount directly to Trickle Up by Friday, then forward your donation confirmation to thespudorg@gmail.com. We'll match the donations in the order we receive the confirmations. Additionally, we'll donate $1 for each new person who likes our Facebook fan page or who follows us on Twitter (up to $250). Find us on Facebook here, and on Twitter here. Photo credit: Trickle Up.

Project #17 Update

Thanks to our 6 new Facebook fans and 1 new Twitter follower, we donated $7 to ShelterBox USA! Your support will help provide emergency relief equipment to disaster-stricken areas. Here, a fantastic Time magazine piece on ShelterBox.