Topic: African Charity Now Accepting Bitcoin (Read 2293 times)
Never heard of it, won't donate even a penny without confirmation. Looks like a scam.
Seems good, all those Paypal donation buttons were useless for my anyways.
I will donate 0.2 BTC now
Yeah, I know what you mean. Starting in January, I decided I would start doing ALL our charitable donations in bitcoin (or litecoin). I was giving to a couple of places each month and maybe four or five once a year. I contacted all those about starting to accept bitcoin so they could continue receiving our donations. One did start, the rest did not. So that one has received almost all my donations this year! Gradually I've found other charities I want to support and that take bitcoin. I'm glad to be adding this one to my list. I will donate 0.2 BTC now
Seems good, all those Paypal donation buttons were useless for my anyways.
I will donate 0.2 BTC now
I will donate 0.2 BTC now
Sounds pretty good..But first we need to know where we are donating before donation..good luck nigerian!!
Here you have an email I just received from Michelle Adeoye (daughter of the non-profit's directors) -- one she wrote after reading all the above responses in this thread:
I understand your concerns about donating money to an organization in Nigeria due to the unfortunate and overemphasized stereotype of Nigerians as perpetrators of internet scams, but CCM (Cross of Christ Ministries) is a legitimate non-profit, headquartered in the United States that's main mission is to serve the community of Akute, Nigeria. The money raised will go to securing better facilities, improving health care, and soon providing a home to orphaned children. If you are interested in learning more about the ministry, please visit our website at http://crossofchristministries.org/ or email me at [email protected].
Thank you and God Bless,
Michelle
I understand your concerns about donating money to an organization in Nigeria due to the unfortunate and overemphasized stereotype of Nigerians as perpetrators of internet scams, but CCM (Cross of Christ Ministries) is a legitimate non-profit, headquartered in the United States that's main mission is to serve the community of Akute, Nigeria. The money raised will go to securing better facilities, improving health care, and soon providing a home to orphaned children. If you are interested in learning more about the ministry, please visit our website at http://crossofchristministries.org/ or email me at [email protected].
Thank you and God Bless,
Michelle
Most of the nigerian companies are scam, in terms of lottery or donation. Not sure about this one, never heard about it.
Was it difficult to convince them to accept Bitcoin? How long did that take to educate them and get Bitcoin integrated?
Not difficult at all, as you can see from the time line in my previous post. I'm not sure how much they already knew about bitcoin, but Blessing and Michelle both seem at home with Internet technology. Cool, thanks for clarifying. It is great that you are putting in effort getting Bitcoin adopted by charities.
For how long have you been helping the director and daughter setting up Bitcoin?
It happened very fast! I first read about the work in the newspaper on Tuesday morning, and immediately opened correspondence with the director and his daughter (who manages the web site and other ministry functions). I connected them with Elizabeth Ploshay at BitPay [[email protected]] and the account was all set up by Tuesday afternoon. By yesterday afteroon, they had increased the BitPay maximum daily contribution amount to $1000.For how long have you been helping the director and daughter setting up Bitcoin?
This is actually the second charity I've helped set up with BitPay. Even before Elizabeth joined the staff there -- http://www.coindesk.com/elizabeth-ploshay-joins-bitpay/ -- I helped Emmanuel Ministries in Cd. Juárez, Mexico. http://emmanueljuarez.org/about-us/
The circumstances of this couple running a charity remotely half way around the world is suspicious as well as all the problems with their website.
Understood. I'm a cautious person myself. That's why my donations yesterday were only small "seed" amounts -- showing good will to begin with, while I wait for our relationship to take fuller form. Sunday I want to visit the directors' home church in Urbana; and I'm planning to get together with the director next month, when he returns from his present trip abroad.Was it difficult to convince them to accept Bitcoin? How long did that take to educate them and get Bitcoin integrated?
The circumstances of this couple running a charity remotely half way around the world is suspicious as well as all the problems with their website.
Understood. I'm a cautious person myself. That's why my donations yesterday were only small "seed" amounts -- showing good will to begin with, while I wait for our relationship to take fuller form. Sunday I want to visit the directors' home church in Urbana; and I'm planning to get together with the director next month, when he returns from his present trip abroad. Are you associated with this "charity"?
No. I just found out about it recently myself, from this article in a local newspaper.. http://herald-review.com/news/local/medical-missionary-to-nigeria-travels-in-shadow-of-ebola/article_78918451-4b79-59a4-b43b-e24638ec3091.html
I've corresponded at length with the director and his daughter, and directed them toward setting up to accept bitcoin with BitPay.
Cool, thanks for clarifying. It is great that you are putting in effort getting Bitcoin adopted by charities.
For how long have you been helping the director and daughter setting up Bitcoin?
Are you associated with this "charity"?
No. I just found out about it recently myself, from this article in a local newspaper.. http://herald-review.com/news/local/medical-missionary-to-nigeria-travels-in-shadow-of-ebola/article_78918451-4b79-59a4-b43b-e24638ec3091.html
I've corresponded at length with the director and his daughter, and directed them toward setting up to accept bitcoin with BitPay.
Is this Nigerian church affiliated to Nigerian royalty, princes perhaps?
NO. You can verify that in their non-profit documents filed with the IRS. It's all in the public record.Yes, the concern is anyone can start a nonprofit. I could create one in 15 minutes for 70usd and get an EIN number shortly after. Getting 501(c)(3) takes longer as You must file with the IRS first and wait for them to grant the status. Christian religious non-profits are much more easily awarded 501(c)(3) than other non-profits as well.
These ministers could be individuals with good intentions of fraudsters as is very common with these types of operations. There is no history and open reports with BBB or Give with this charity - http://www.give.org and they are not openly disclosing their financials on their website either.
The circumstances of this couple running a charity remotely half way around the world is suspicious as well as all the problems with their website.
As long as it isn't a Nigerian Prince, I'm alright with donating a bit to them.
That's what I assumed this would be as soon as I saw it
. Is this Nigerian church affiliated to Nigerian royalty, princes perhaps?
NO. You can verify that in their non-profit documents filed with the IRS. It's all in the public record. Has someone verified who is the owner of this website?
Yes, the owners are the directors of the ministry. http://www.crossofchristministries.org/#!people/ctep We need to know where we are donating before making a donation 
As you can see from the donations page, the ministry is a U.S. registered non-profit organization. "Cross of Christ Ministries is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations made to the Cross of Christ are tax deductible." The husband and wife directors of the mission live in Champaign, IL. But they stay in constant contact with the African outreach, often travelling there to work for extended periods of time. The director lectures at the University of Lagos. How did you come across this charity if you don't mind me asking? Do you work for them or are they friends of yours?
We need to know where we are donating before making a donation
As you can see from the donations page, the ministry is a U.S. registered non-profit organization. "Cross of Christ Ministries is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. All donations made to the Cross of Christ are tax deductible." The husband and wife directors of the mission live in Champaign, IL. But they stay in constant contact with the African outreach, often travelling there to work for extended periods of time. The director lectures at the University of Lagos. 
http://nccsweb.urban.org/orgs/profile.php/201086409?popup=1
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/orgs/profile/201086409?popup=1#overview
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Illinois/Champaign/sold/20015335-3201-Amy-Dr-Champaign-IL-61822
Unfinished new site, documenting accomplishments that preceded the sites registration. Residential home in IL acting as "Headquarters". Site Uses repeated images purchased or taken from Getty Images instead of their own images :
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/5dfc53_f45ce5d4c9d04210b48ee962e3a5dee0.png
http://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/western-africa/2014/08/07/ebola-update-health-minister/
http://www.hausa.rfi.fr/najeriya/20140717-boko-haram-sarakunan-hausawa-sun-yi-gargadi-ga-mazauna-lagos
Hmmm...
http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/orgs/profile/201086409?popup=1#overview
http://www.trulia.com/homes/Illinois/Champaign/sold/20015335-3201-Amy-Dr-Champaign-IL-61822
Unfinished new site, documenting accomplishments that preceded the sites registration. Residential home in IL acting as "Headquarters". Site Uses repeated images purchased or taken from Getty Images instead of their own images :
http://static.wixstatic.com/media/5dfc53_f45ce5d4c9d04210b48ee962e3a5dee0.png
http://www.cnbcafrica.com/news/western-africa/2014/08/07/ebola-update-health-minister/
http://www.hausa.rfi.fr/najeriya/20140717-boko-haram-sarakunan-hausawa-sun-yi-gargadi-ga-mazauna-lagos
Hmmm...
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