Introducing Shortage — An In-Kind Donation Platform Born Out of the War

Shortage is the first peer-to-peer donation marketplace that allows nonprofits to get the goods they need and enables donors to make in-kind donations directly to the causes that matter most to them. The platform is free for nonprofit organizations to use, and all donations are tax deductible.

The Shortage team is building an entire ecosystem around in-kind donations: a network of nonprofit partners, online stores, producers of goods, and shipping companies. Shortage streamlines the donation process and takes care of the logistics - sending a tax deduction receipt, updating donors about their purchases, and sharing an impact on social media. 

How does Shortage work? 

There are four simple steps to donate: 

1. Select the item(s) you would like to order from Shortage, which lists organizations’ requested products.
2. Buy and send the order directly from our marketplace (or send what you already have!)
3. Get a tax-deduction receipt generated automatically by our platform and sent to your inbox
4. Share your impact! When the product is delivered, you’ll receive a photo to share on your social media 

For the Shortage team, the platform’s mission is personal 

Shortage began as shortageua.com, a personal initiative of young Ukrainian marketing and tech professionals Serhii Holinei, Kseniia Khrystova, and Alina Fedorenko, who put their professional skills to work, providing essential supplies to Ukraine after the war started.

The portal was launched with a volunteer team on March 23, 2022, just a month after the start of the war. Shortage organized the logistics for informal networks and helped people around the world easily donate tangible goods to Ukraine.

So far, individuals from all over the world have sent more than $300,000 worth of goods to Ukraine. These donations came from everyday people, not charities or politicians. 

Cofounder and CEO Kseniia Khrystova discusses the platform's future: “Our strategic goal is to become an easy, streamlined tool for both donors looking to make an impact, and nonprofits in need of goods.”

What motivates them to move forward? 

Cofounder and CTO Serhii Holinei says, “I know it sounds like a cliche, but I look at the Shortage platform as a way to make the world a better place. Isn't it great when a donor's gift reaches a person in need? Isn't it inspiring to feel that your work provides so much-needed support to people? That's what we do at Shortage.”

Donating goods directly to nonprofits gives donors a better understanding of the organizations’ actual needs. It builds a stronger network of supporters who can see the immediate impact of their aid.

This is best expressed by Shortage Donor Lisa N: “I feel a sense of connection with the people I support. Shortage gives me an opportunity to help in a manner that feels more personal to me. Shortage’s mission is one that I am proud to support.

Shortage Co-Founder and COO Alina Fedorenko, who is currently living in Ukraine, talks about the larger sense of purpose that the platform gives her: “I can’t imagine myself in another field today. Helping to make others happy is the most valuable feeling that keeps me moving forward. For me, what matters most is thinking beyond myself as an individual and more widely about the community.”

It doesn't matter what item you choose to donate: toys for children, hygiene items, books, or school supplies – any contribution matters.

Source: Shortage

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of NonProfit PRO.