You’ve probably heard the phrase “do well by doing good,” the mantra of social entrepreneurs who believe that you can make bank while still helping the world. Socially-minded San Franciscans can now add “while doing each other” to that mantra, as Project Fixup’s Dates for Good campaign launches today.
Until February 23, single do-gooders can choose a nonprofit to “date for,” meaning 100% of their $20 Project Fixup fee will go to their organization of choice. The matchmakers at Project Fixup will then connect them with someone who’s dating for the same nonprofit or a similar one. They also consider other compatibility points — which include preferences on age, height, ethnicity, religion, and education — which they glean from their sign-up questionnaire.
The idea, of course, is that people who are interested in social good will be more likely to be interested in each other.
“At Project Fixup, we’re all about connecting people with similar values and getting them meeting in person,” co-founder Sarah Press told me. “Supporting non-profits is one value that a lot of people have, so we’re excited to connect fellow do-gooders with each other.”
This is actually the third Dates For Good that Project Fixup has run — the first two were in Chicago and they raised over $5,000 for nonprofits there. Sarah is excited for their first San Francisco campaign, citing the fact that San Franciscan nonprofits are much more social media savvy and that San Franciscans are known for being socially-minded. A campaign in our famously liberal city, home of the sexual revolution, has the potential to blow the Chicago earnings out of the water.
Competitive city spirit aside, a big plus of dating through Dates For Good is having a conversation starter already outlined for your first date. Bonding over a mutual passion for helping one of the many amazing Bay Area nonprofits partnering with Project Fixup could potentially lead to hours of conversation. Knowing you have the same values as someone else is an excellent starting point for a relationship and one that can be hard to communicate on traditional dating sites.
For a full list of the nonprofits participating in Dates For Good, check out the Project Fixup website. They have everything from art collectives to environmentally-focused organizations to groups that work with disadvantaged kids. Whatever your pet project, you can probably find it on Dates For Good.
And if the date itself doesn’t go well? Singles who date for good can walk away knowing that, at the very least, they’ve contributed $20 to a great cause.
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