Feeling generous? Be a do-gooder and donate your gift cards to charity in celebration of Public Service Day.

Observed every year on June 23^rd, the United Nations’ Public Service Day celebrates the value and virtue of community service.

Plastic Jungle has partnered with nearly 90 organizations, both big and small. Whether it’s a world-renown association like the American Red Cross or your neighborhood high school, Junglers can choose to act globally or locally. Check out our Non-Profit Directory for the complete list.

Donating is easy! Here’s how:

1. Enter your gift card information in our Sell Your Gift Card form. Select the ”Donate to Charity” option under the Payout Choice.
2. Before you confirm your transaction, look for the blue and green ribbon to make a donation and select a nonprofit to support.
3. Print the FREE shipping label, and drop your gift card in the mail. Upon receipt, we will verify your card’s balance and process your donation. You will receive an email receipt for your kind tax-deductible contribution.

On the flip side, are YOU a non-profit that wants to benefit from our big-hearted Junglers? Participation in our fundraising program is FREE!

Getting started is easy! Here’s how:

Step 1: Please sign the Non-Profit Affiliate Agreement and return it back to us. You can scan and email it back or fax it to us at 408-608-2009.
Step 2: In addition to the contract we also need -

• Proof of 501©3 status
• A high resolution logo for the organization
• Your mission statement

Make a difference today and everyday. While Public Service Day is designated as June 23rd, you can donate gift cards all year long. What charity is near and dear to your heart? Tell us – we’d love to know. Maybe it’s the environment, hunger and poverty or disaster relief. Or perhaps it’s health and disease, children or the elderly. Plastic Jungle is pleased to help you connect with the organization of your choice.

“Be Good. Do Good.”

L.M. Heroux

No, I’m not talking about using gift cards to pry open the bathroom door your daughter locked from the inside. (In fact, I wouldn’t recommend that at all! Turns out they snap into pieces.)

Let’s say you’ve got a gift card in your hand that you know has a balance on it, but there’s no way you’ll be able to take advantage of it: it’s for a steakhouse and you’ve been vegan for ages; it’s to a store you’ve vowed to stay away from because you consistently overspend there; it’s a gas card, and you’ve just decided to reduce your carbon footprint by moving to the city and only take public transportation.

Whatever. Just bypass the procrastination and realize that you can easily, quickly, and securely get something for that gift card on Plastic Jungle, and I’ll tell you how.

Sell Gift Cards for Cash, Funds in your PayPal Account, or an Amazon.com Gift Card

1) Did someone mention CASH?
That’s right. You can sell gift cards with as little as $10 remaining on them (it doesn’t even have to be an even number, it can be what’s left over after you’ve made a purchase) for CASH. Plastic Jungle honors gift cards from over 400 stores, from Walmart to Tiffany to PETCO to Bass Pro Shops. Once your gift card is verified (by mail or online), Plastic Jungle issues your check or deposits money into your PayPal account, whatever you choose. (Then, don’t forget that you can purchase discounted gift cards to get a deal at another one of those 400+ stores!)

2) Exchange gift cards for Amazon.com Gift Cards.
And what doesn’t Amazon.com sell? From ebooks to grills to groceries, Amazon.com is among the best places to have a store credit. Plus, in this gift card exchange, you’ll receive more than what you’d get in a cash payout – 5% more!

3) Trade in gift cards for Facebook Credits.
We know how fun and addictive those games get. From Farmville and MafiaWars to Happy Aquarium and Zuma Blitz, you can trade your gift card for Facebook Credits using the Plastic Jungle Gift Card Exchange App on Facebook. Just be logged into Facebook and search Plastic Jungle. You’ll see our fan page (Like us!) and the Application page.  When you’re on the App page, you’ll need to allow pop-ups. Then you’re good to start trading.

4) Convert gift cards to GamePoints.
At GamePoints you’re able to exchange gift cards for a virtual currency you can use on hundreds of social games. Log in at GamePoints.com by creating a free account, or using your Facebook account.

5) DONATE gift cards to your favorite charity!
You’ll find that Gift Cards for Good through Plastic Jungle is a very safe, convenient and efficient way to get the balance left on your gift card to your favorite charity or nonprofit. Have your charity check in with Plastic Jungle (at PJ for Nonprofits) to make the process even easier.

So don’t let unused gift cards waste away in your sock drawer when you have all these great options… sell them to Plastic Jungle today!

Written by John Haydon

It’s no secret that fundraising for a nonprofit in today’s economy is hard work. Donations from corporations, major gifts and private grants have all shrunk. Fundraising with social media is uncharted territory where best practices are in their infancy.

However, a recent partnership between givezooks and Plastic Jungle allows non-profits access to a $40 Billion in unused gift cards. And with Christmas around the corner, the timing couldn’t be more perfect!

Recycled fruit cake and giftcards

According to Plastic Jungle, the average household has about $400 worth of unused gift cards in their top dresser drawers. You know, the Home Depot gift card from Uncle Ralph who always forgets that you live across the street from Lowe’s. The Barnes & Noble gift card you wish you could redeem on Amazon. And my favorite, the Exxon Mobil gift card given to the vegan bike messenger who only last week protested at a rally on clean energy.

Turning donors into fundraisers

givezooks! is a social fundraising platform for non-profits that empower individual donors to become fundraisers. The platform embeds sharing on Facebook and Twitter directly into the donation process. This makes fundraising much more effective simply because folks are more likely to donate to a cause if it’s recommended from a friend.

And now, the partnership between Plastic Jungle and givezooks means that friends can convert convert that gift cards into cash for their favorite cause.

To learn more about the givezooks social fundraising, please visit givezooks.com.