After Uber, MagicBricks Jumps Into Social Service; Convert Their Billboards Into Blankets For The Homeless
Winters in North India are brutal, ruthless. And as weather forecasts rain in the coming days, the situation can become even more extreme, especially for the homeless, who are forced to sleep on the road, out in the open.
Understanding their plight, MagicBricks have decided to do something noble, for the homeless: they are straight away converting their marketing activities into CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities, and spreading the warmth for the homeless.
From Billboards To Blankets: The Magical Way
In one the most innovative ways, Magicbricks has decided to take down the huge billboards they had deployed for marketing purpose, into giant blankets, which can be used by the homeless to stay warm this winter.
In a video released by them, they have shown how billboards are being taken down, and then resized, altered with a blanket inside and then distributed to the homeless who have to endure the winters out in the open without any warm clothes or blankets.
These are waterproof sleeping bags, converted from the flex used in the billboards, and are called ‘Magic Bags’.
This initiative by MagicBricks has been executed with the help of an NGO called Uday Foundation, which helps homeless and the orphans across India.
Uber’s Donation Campaign For The Underprivileged
Last month Uber India, in association with Goonj, a non-profit organization, launched a noble campaign called #uberDONATE. Under this, Uber users were asked to donate woolen clothes for the needy, in an innovative way.
Held only for a day, Uber users were asked to fire their app on December 24th, between 1 PM and 3 PM. A new option #uberDONATE was visible, under which users can ask for Uber to come at their doorsteps, to collect woolen clothes.
Goonj conducts these ‘Odha Do Zindagi’ campaign every year, for collecting woolen clothes for the poor and the needy.
Our Opinion: Helping the underprivileged is indeed a noble and humane way to give back to the society, and both MagicBricks and Uber India should be applauded for their efforts. In the case of MagicBricks, their decision to convert their marketing activities into humanitarian help would be considered as a unique, innovative way to earn some good Karma, and establishes a new standard for CSR-related activities. We hope that other startups and companies also participate in such activities, and provide assistance to the homeless, orphans and the needy people.
