Donate to charities via online shopping

Charities are obviously a great and necessary thing.

But with so many organisations, persons and things needing assistance, sometimes the pressure surrounding our own life prevents us even contemplating how to help out on a volunteer basis. 

We have recently become involved with a Charity called "Samjoden- Nothilfe" - which is a charity that fosters and adopts the nordic dog breeds into Germany. Their dedication to ensuring the dogs are fostered correctly and appropriately is admirable, and it seems that most of the people running the organisation are volunteers themselves. 

https://www.facebook.com/Samojeden.Nothilfe/

While we plan to foster and eventually adopt another husky, I have been supporting the charity through a really fantastic link, which enables one to donate through online purchases. It doesn't come directly from you, but rather the business has an arrangement, which then passes the donation on from your purchase. It is called "we can help" and the link for the Samojden Nothilfe is directly here:

https://www.wecanhelp.de/485113001/shopsearch

For example, I now buy all my Deutsche Bahn tickets through the link, and the Deutsche Bahn then passes on a donation of €0,90 up to €4,50 depending on the type of fare. Ikea also have an arrangement of donating 9% of your purchase, and there are many many more businesses with this arrangement.  

So the next time you are needing to make an online purchase and like the idea of helping out a charity directly, use the link and see the donations grow!

MJT

Berlin getaway series: #1.1 SZCZECIN - COLOMBUS COFFEE

SZCZECIN - COLOMBUS COFFEE

Since many of my blog posts revolve around coffee, it is perhaps apt that I start with an awesome cafe that we found in the middle of the street....

COLOMBUS COFFEE

(C) MJT

Granted this is a chain coffee store (I discovered that it was founded in 1999, and appears to only be in Poland), but the architecture of this particular café is SO cool.

(C) MJT

Located in the middle of an intersection between two discarded tram lines (now transformed into a paved narrow parkland), the use of the narrow space is compensated by numerous levels and an amazing open plan glass structure. A word to the wise however, the top level, where we made our regular table, is the warmest area - being a fully glassed enclosure with no windows to open - and in warm, summer temperatures I suspect the heat becomes overwhelming. 

(C) MJT

Nevertheless it is a very relaxing view looking out onto the Park towards the river.

(C) MJT

Otherwise the downstairs floor (beneath the service area) has very comfortable arm chairs, which provide secluded areas for private conversations. 

(C) MJT

(C) MJT

As for the coffee itself, we only tried the "poco cappuccino". It was a great relief to find a decent coffee. The price equated to around 2€. The array of African references, pictures and dedicated time-zone clocks suggests that is where their beans come from. So the coffee was good, even if it did remind me a little of Starbucks...

(C) MJT

(C) MJT

The selection of panini, salads and doughnuts were very good for picking up a cheap and quick lunch. And the staff were extremely friendly, courteous and spoke English surprisingly well.

(C) MJT

Obviously Colombus Coffee is a reliable place to pick up a coffee, yet this particular café is a definite stop if visiting Szczecin. They even have a facebook page, named "szczecin meeting point" - visit it here: www.facebook.com/szczecinmeetingpoint and for finding it on googlemaps here:

Oh, and if you are likely to be there for more than 6 visits, it is worth getting the loyalty card, so that you get a free coffee...!

(C) MJT