06.02.08
MicroPlace Launches “Small change. Big change.” Campaign
MicroPlace, the San Jose, CA based online brokerage specializing in socially responsible investments, today announced the launch of “Small change. Big change.”
Through the campaign (www.smallchange-bigchange.com), everyday people can team up with friends and family to make investments that earn a financial return and help address global poverty by raising funds for global microfinance institutions that provide loans to the world’s working poor.
“If you are like most people, your nickels and quarters go unnoticed and collect dust in a jar or pot. We have launched the “Small change. Big change.” campaign as a way for people to take that small change and make big change by addressing global poverty,” said Tracey Turner, founder and general manager of MicroPlace.
To encourage investors to ask their friends to join them in making a difference, MicroPlace will offer uniquely handcrafted artisan piggy banks from Chile to groups of investors who invest at least $500. Investors can track their impact and the impact of their friends on the campaign website. They can read stories from the people receiving loans and can track how many loans they are enabling to the world’s working poor.
Microfinance empowers the working poor to help themselves through small business loans and is an effective way to address global poverty. According to MicroPlace, approximately 84 percent of microfinance borrowers are women and repayment rates historically average more than 97 percent.
About MicroPlace
MicroPlace (www.microplace.com), launched in 2007, is the world’s first and only online brokerage specializing in socially responsible investments that alleviate poverty. MicroPlace enables everyday people to make investments that earn a return while empowering the poor to work their way out of poverty. Investment dollars are used to provide microfinance loans to the world’s working poor. Unlike charity, investing in MicroPlace offers a rate of return and allows the investor to align their social values with their investment wallet. MicroPlace is a wholly-owned subsidiary of eBay Inc.(Nasdaq:EBAY).
