Make a difference every day, thruYou!

Who are we?

A committed passionate group of social entrepreneurs.

How it all began:

Just over four years ago a few of us in Western Canada started off with a little idea, "how do we make giving a part of every day living?" The concept was predicated on the belief that each of us supports a cause that is important to us. Our simple solution: embed the ability to give back through our every day purchases. The challenge we faced to bring the concept to fruition was easier said than done. All things worth doing take work and a bit of ‘trail blazing’ mentality when you are forging into an established market with a new concept and developing products from the ground up. The result was a steep learning curve, and along our journey we have experienced a few bumps and bruises (broken bones and concussions).

The result of our learning has helped us refine our products, develop experienced partner alliances and assemble a dedicated team of individuals committed to executing on our vision.

What do we do?

Simply stated, thruYou has developed products that embed giving into every day living.

How does it work?

The concept comes to life when you participate, that’s why the company is called "thruYou."

We are the conduit or channel by which we find ways to take a small portion of the dollars you currently spend every day and deliver a fraction of that expenditure (anywhere from 1 - 20%) back to you so that you can reallocate that money to something that really matters to you or your family.

Each thruYou product is slightly different but the premise is the same; a portion of your purchase is redirected to your giving. We recognize consumers like freedom so we have designed products that allow choice in how much you give, to what and by whom. The appeal of our products is the simplicity, variety, flexibility and ease of use. If giving was ever considered work, we have taken that obstacle away.

Where do you do this?

ThruYou is based on a partner built online platform that supports giving in a highly transparent manner. Your donations are tracked online including summaries and tax receipts of your registered charitable* donations.

Our applications provide customers with an online platform that compliments and supports our products. Product flexibility allows consumers to simply transact or become an engaged community member. The real power behind thruYou happens with individuals, from their personal giving experience to receiving or using our products. It is a result of the user experience that the product begins to take a backseat to the message, and suddenly enabling giving through every day living takes on a personal meaning.

Each purchase made and donation given begins to make a difference. You are in control through the entire process beginning with how and where you make your purchases. Our relationship with Visa or MasterCard provides you choice on purchases and our database of NPOs mean your giving options are personalized to you.

How do we hope to make giving different?

Our products are simple; there is a little giving in every single product we introduce. The occasion does not matter, every time you buy something or when you are giving a gift, you are able to give back. We believe gifts are great but even better when coupled with the opportunity to give back to something you care about.

We think it makes sense; every day giving becomes a lifestyle choice, effortless and rewarding.

What impact can you make?

It takes innovative products and people to make change happen. We supply the products, you provide the support each and every time you make a contribution to a cause you help impact the lives of others. Your annual giving with our products may start off small but we are confident the experience you have will change how you continue to give; over time the dollars, donations and impact will grow.

Why now?

We are often asked, "Why has this never been done before?" There are a number of reasons but technology advancements and innovation now allow us to automate the process of directing your dollars to a charity or non-profit cause in a timely, efficient and transparent manner. As you make the choice of where your giving is allocated, the products really become much more about you than us… we just follow instructions thruYou.

North Americans are generous souls. The most recent US and Canadian censuses, indicated 90% of us, if given the financial capability, would give more money to those things that matter most to us. ThruYou is simply providing the means for you to give additionally in a new and innovative way.

When will it happen?

ThruYou currently is in beta across Canada with our thruYou MasterCard, which allows individuals to give back a little bit with every purchase they make. New product applications will be launched fall 2010. Updates will be posted on our website as they get closer to their launch.

What is in it for us?

We are a social enterprise—a company that believes in social change but we are not a charity or non-profit organization.

We are a company with a vision to "make a difference every day, thruYou" and the costs associated with achieving that vision include staff, expenditures and investment. To operate we take a small fee that covers all our costs and allows a modest return on investment to those individuals who believed in us a long time ago, because without them thruYou would still be just an idea.

Moving forward:

As we bring the initial vision and concept to reality, we are grateful to all those that have believed in us since the inception of our journey, thank you for remaining committed to our vision, for supporting our required learning and our evolution along the way. Each day we still "shoot for the stars and if we land on the moon, that's okay too."

Our company mission remains the same as it was over four years ago and it will be the same four years from now: "make giving every day easy."

* Tax receipts can only be issued for donations made to those non-profits and registered charities with a CRA Charitable Registration number.

Quick re-cap:

What is thruYou?

A Social Enterprise

What do we make?

Innovative consumer products that reward and embed giving

How:

Embed giving into every day living

Enable giving through purchases and gifting

Where:

Anywhere that accepts MasterCard

All registered non-profit organizations

Why:

Changing how people view consumption and giving support

Who:

87% of us, non-profit groups, corporate socially responsible corporations