Spring Break
Web site donates over 35 billion grains of rice
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 6/6/08 Section: News
FreeRice.com, a web site launched as a way for the public to donate rice to underprivileged people around the world while improving vocabulary skills, has now reached approximately 35.5 billion grains of rice donated.
FreeRice donated over 537,163,380 grains of rice when it was launched in October 2007; in comparison, in May 2008, 4,657,641,260 grains of rice were donated, according to the organization's web site. The amount of rice donated for each correct answer has grown from 10 to 20 grains since the web site began.
"The reason that [FreeRice] took off as well as it did is because you can procrastinate while helping people," Jillian Gerraputa, a pre-junior majoring in architectural engineering, said. "It's definitely a cool concept."
Since the launch of FreeRice, web sites with similar philanthropic goals have started. According to the FreeRice Facebook group, a web site called FreeFlour.com will donate a spoonful of flour for every trivia question answered correctly. In addition, savetheworldwithmusic.com will donate clean water to one person for a day every time a music trivia question is answered correctly.
Apart from the web, FreeRice's influence has been felt on the Drexel campus.
In March 2008, the Drexel Networking Association held a FreeRice event in the Korman Center. In addition to the rice raised through FreeRice, some of the members of the fraternity donated money to Philabundance, the region's largest hunger-relief organization, according to their web site.
"We tried to make an impact on hunger both locally and globally," Gerraputa, the head of the Drexel Networking Association's philanthropy committee, said.
DNA got the idea for the event because some of their members enjoyed playing FreeRice, according to Gerraputa.
Gerraputa said the rainy weather on the day of the previous event lowered student attendance, but she is optimistic that future events will draw a larger turnout. She said DNA is discussing the possibility of holding a future event in the quad.
FreeRice donated over 537,163,380 grains of rice when it was launched in October 2007; in comparison, in May 2008, 4,657,641,260 grains of rice were donated, according to the organization's web site. The amount of rice donated for each correct answer has grown from 10 to 20 grains since the web site began.
"The reason that [FreeRice] took off as well as it did is because you can procrastinate while helping people," Jillian Gerraputa, a pre-junior majoring in architectural engineering, said. "It's definitely a cool concept."
Since the launch of FreeRice, web sites with similar philanthropic goals have started. According to the FreeRice Facebook group, a web site called FreeFlour.com will donate a spoonful of flour for every trivia question answered correctly. In addition, savetheworldwithmusic.com will donate clean water to one person for a day every time a music trivia question is answered correctly.
Apart from the web, FreeRice's influence has been felt on the Drexel campus.
In March 2008, the Drexel Networking Association held a FreeRice event in the Korman Center. In addition to the rice raised through FreeRice, some of the members of the fraternity donated money to Philabundance, the region's largest hunger-relief organization, according to their web site.
"We tried to make an impact on hunger both locally and globally," Gerraputa, the head of the Drexel Networking Association's philanthropy committee, said.
DNA got the idea for the event because some of their members enjoyed playing FreeRice, according to Gerraputa.
Gerraputa said the rainy weather on the day of the previous event lowered student attendance, but she is optimistic that future events will draw a larger turnout. She said DNA is discussing the possibility of holding a future event in the quad.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mike Thorn
posted 6/07/08 @ 7:55 PM EST
Another great charity site is AIDtoCHILDREN.com. It donates money to children in need through World Vision.
Check it out at http://www.aidtochildren. (Continued…)
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