EZPass for Charity

Every so often I have a great idea. One of those ideas where the light bulb really blinks on above my head and I know, I've just had a good idea. So what's the point of having a blog if you don't post your great ideas so that some day in the far future you can launch a patent lawsuit?

So, here's my idea: EZPass for Charity. It's simple, but brilliant. First, you are a charitable organization. Next, you get an EZPass reader and you set up a little gateway. Say you're a church, for example. You'd set that baby up in your parking lot, set the value of the machine to $0.25, put up a sign saying "EZPass for the Soup Kitchen" and then let it work it's magic. Maybe you get a local business to put it up in their parking lot so that it gets more traffic.

So here's why this idea is great: it'll increase charitable giving. It will be the ultimate impulse buy. "Well, I've got EZPass, and I'm already in my car...why not drive through that little gate and give $0.25 to charity?" Everyone has EZPass or the regional equivalent (ok, I don't have EZPass, but I know that I should get it) and best of all, EZPass dollars are not real money. Go ahead, ask someone with EZPass how much it costs to drive across the Susquehanna River on I-95 North. They can't tell you because they never see the cost. It gets deducted right off their credit card and it's probably small in comparison to their income, so they never notice.

This is the future of charity fund-raising. It's completely unmanned, private, operates 24 hours a day, and could even be mobile. Imagine taking this to the county fair, or Raven's stadium on game day, or getting Wal-Mart to set it up in their parking lot for the Friday after Thanksgiving.

I'm telling you, this is a great idea! Now someone go out there and build an EZPass for Charity gate and start raising money! (I won't mind if you mention that I inspired you ;)