There are thousands of charities out there, and hundreds of government programs aimed at helping those in need. Yet millions of Americans still struggle to pay their medical bills, buy groceries and meet other basic needs.
WATCH MSNBC’s CHRIS JANSING INTERVIEW ENTREPRENEUR ANDREW ‘BO’ YOUNG, III:
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This is where Andrew “Bo” Young, III comes in. He’s the CEO of Give Locally, a website that pre-screens and posts the needs of everyday Americans on the site. The interface then empowers users to search by type of need, family format (such as single-parent, or military family), and location — and then enables them to donate money to help those listed. Young, 38, is also the son of Andrew Young, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and close friend of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Give Locally, which launched in 2010, was created by Young’s friend and Silicon Valley veteran Brad Newman.
The donations are given directly to meet the specified need — to landlords, medical offices, as grocery gift cards, etc. — to ensure the monies are used for the intended purposes. Once donations are made, users can track their gifts.
Andrew “Bo” Young, III is making history … by changing the way we give. With a few clicks of the mouse, users can directly help people with basic, essential needs. This innovation, Young said, gives transparency to giving, taking out the guesswork of where your money goes when donating to a charity.
What’s next for Andrew?
Young plans to continue to grow the number of donations on the site to help more people. Give Locally is open to the idea of expanding its reach outside the country, but he said meeting the needs of Americans is its first priority.
In his own words …
“When Martin Luther King was killed… they were trying to begin the process of eradicating poverty. They had gotten the Civil Rights Act, they had gotten the Housing Rights Act, they had gotten the Voting Rights Act, and it was now time to integrate the money. That was Dr. King’s next mission and goal when he was killed,” Young said. “And so we feel like we are in a sense continuing the work of Martin Luther King, because we have found a new and innovative way to try and help to combat poverty in America.”
A little-known fact about poverty in the U.S. …
According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans living below the poverty line grew to historic numbers last year, to 46.2 million people.