31 August 2017 Better Than Ever...

Do you need advice on finding the perfect gift for your grandmother? You could buy her flowers, a book, perfume… or you can do what one bidder did and surprise your granny with a lunch with Silvio Berlusconi, the renowned former Italian prime minister.  It’s not the cheapest gift. The winner bid €70,000 to win the lunch, auctioned by CharityStars. The amount, however, was completely worth it. The proceeds directly supported the central Italy earthquake victims.  To make the gift even more special, the lunch is going to take place at Berlusconi’s personal residence in Arcore.  “Dear friends, I decided to auction this experience to support the victims of the Italian earthquake. I think everyone should do everything in his/her means to help our fellow citizens, and sometimes we can be helpful even with smaller gestures. I’ll be really glad to meet and have lunch with the generous winner of the auction, that I hope is going to be sold to a high price, since the proceeds will support the Italian Red Cross!” - Silvio Berlusconi

Winning a new limited edition Yamaha YZF-R1 is a dream, especially if it’s been signed by the 9-times world champion Valentino Rossi. But what if Valentino Rossi personally delivers it, too?  Marco got to live this dream after winning a CharityStars auction. A huge fan of Valentino Rossi, Marco met his idol and received a beautiful motorcycle directly from Rossi.  Thanks to his generous donation, Marco has supported La Gotita Onlus, a charity  that provides education and health assistance to children in need in com munities throughout Bolivia. Furthermore, Marco decided to donate his new Yamaha YZF-R1 to a music school.  “As a long time Motorsports lover, this thrilling experience has been a dream come true. Receiving a Yamaha motorbike, handed to me by no other than the legendary Valentino Rossi, was the ultimate experience. I’d like to thank Valentino, Yamaha, and CharityStars for this once-in-a-lifetime chance. I couldn't be more happy to have supported La Gotita Onlus, and for having the chance to donate the bike to a music school I have been collaborating with for a long time.” - Marco

 For Playstation’s 20th anniversary, Sony Computer Entertainment teamed up with CharityStars to auction 50 PlayStation®4 (PS4™) 20th Anniversary Editions to support Terre des Homme. These consoles feature the most innovative technology along with the original gray paint scheme, recalling the first PlayStation design. This limited edition console is a true must-have for every gaming fan.  The winners got a unique collection piece and supported a great cause. The proceeds supported the Terre des Hommes project, which provides direct care to over 600 minors suffering from physical or psychological violence. The campaign reached a goal of more than $100,ooo in support of the Terre des Homme project.   “Here at Playstation, we think that every kid should have the possibility to grow happily, without knowing what violence means. Unfortunately, not all of them have had this privilege. For this reason we’re proud to collaborate with Terre des Homme for this project that we hope could bring happiness and fun to all those children that didn’t have this opportunity.” - Marco Saletta - Sony Computer Entertainment Italy General Manager.

We have been hard at work not only making it easier for you to find once-in-a-lifetime experiences and unforgettable items that excite you, but also developing new technologies that will provide accountability for charity platforms and make the nonprofit sector more transparent.