BitGive partners with Direct Relief, GiveDirectly, and One Fair Wage Emergency Fund to provide assistance to those in need amid COVID-19 pandemic
We are excited to announce a partnership with Direct Relief, GiveDirectly, and One Fair Wage Emergency Fund to leverage blockchain technology in providing financial aid to those impacted by coronavirus, the BitGive COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund. With a fundraising goal of $20,000 dedicated to providing personal protective equipment for medical professionals, monetary relief to those who have lost their jobs, and global funding for those in need.
Through BitGive’s donation tracking platform, GiveTrack, donors have full transparency of their donations and choose between contributing in fiat or cryptocurrencies. The platform tracks how funds are spent, and also provides donors with direct evidence-based reporting. Campaign milestones are consistently shared on the public GiveTrack platform, including details on fund implementation and impact.
Connie Gallippi, Founder and Executive Director of BitGive, said, “COVID-19 has affected our global community, and it will take all of us coming together and supporting each other to get through this. We are grateful to our partner nonprofits for helping us provide a fully transparent avenue for collective impact, directly assisting those in need on the front lines.” 
Direct Relief is a nonprofit that assists and empowers communities recovering from disasters, aiming to improve the quality of life for those experiencing hardships. Working directly with public health authorities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses throughout the U.S., Caribbean, and South America, Direct Relief provides personal protective equipment and essential medical items to healthcare professionals responding to coronavirus.
With rising unemployment rates, specifically affecting restaurant, gig, and other hourly workers, One Fair Wage Emergency Fund provides monetary assistance to those who have lost their job in the U.S. as a result of the coronavirus crisis. One Fair Wage assists restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers, among others affected.
The third beneficiary of the BitGive COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund is GiveDirectly, a leading global NGO delivering digital cash transfers. With a proven track record of providing financial relief to those in the most marginalized and vulnerable communities, across eight countries, GiveDirectly has set up relief funds for Americans and Africans who are financially impacted by COVID-19.
Already gaining traction with a contribution from IOV Labs, whose smart contract platform RSK powers the GiveTrack donation system, the campaign funds will be evenly distributed among the three beneficiaries.
Diego Gutiérrez Zaldivar, CEO of IOV Labs, commented: “BitGive harnesses the distributed power of blockchain to connect donors with impactful causes and move funds globally with maximum transparency, security, and efficiency. We’re honored to contribute to their COVID-19 Relief Fund and support the efforts of these wonderful organizations.”
IOV Labs develops the blockchain technologies needed for a new global financial ecosystem; one that fosters worldwide inclusion, transparency, and trust. The organization currently develops the RSK Smart Contract Network, RIF, and Taringa! Platforms. The RSK Network is one of the more secure smart contract platforms in the world, designed to leverage Bitcoin’s unparalleled hash power while extending its capabilities. RIF’s suite of open and decentralized infrastructure protocols enable faster, easier and scalable development of distributed applications (dApps) within a unified environment. Taringa is Latin America’s largest Spanish speaking social network with 30 million users and 1,000 active online communities.
Learn more and donate to the campaign here.