Wells Fargo to allow charitable donations via ATMs

Once again, I was ahead of the curve yet missed out. It was probably 6 years ago, when I had the idea of "Change for Good". Vending machines that would allow you to make donations. (Someone had had a patent before me). Well, wouldn't you know that it is now in practice only with an ATM.

"Wells Fargo is piloting a program to help clients get and give money at the same time.

A new donation service at more than 350 Bay Area ATMs will allow users to donate up to $250 to one of six nonprofits -- the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial campaign, Glide Memorial Church, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, City College of San Francisco, Self-Help for the Elderly and Headlands Institute. It is one of the first programs of its kind in the country.

Wells Fargo began a similar pilot in North Dakota in late 2006 to test the technology and customer interest in cash machine giving. Participating ATMs let customers know that they can make an anonymous charitable donation.

"Wells Fargo's innovative idea will allow thousands of bank customers to easily donate to Glide year-round," said Rev. Cecil Williams, CEO and minister of Glide. "Their money will immediately be used to help real people in need."

via San Francisco Business Times