How it works
Everything you might wonder about before you give, join, or keep.
What is Chain of Giving?
You give a gift — say $10 — and it lands in a random person's payment app with a note that it's theirs to keep if they need it. If they don't, they pass it on, or add their own money and pass on something bigger. When the chain reaches someone who keeps it, they share what it helped with, and everyone who touched the chain gets to read the story.
Who can receive a gift?
Anyone who joins the pool. Joining is free — you link the payment account where a gift should arrive, and from then on a chain might find you any day. Gifts are delivered straight into your own Venmo or PayPal.
Why do I have to join before I can receive?
Gifts are real money sent to real accounts, so we can only deliver to a payment account you've connected and confirmed is yours. Joining takes about a minute, and it's also what keeps the community safe — every gift goes to a real person who asked to be part of this.
What happens when I keep a gift?
You'll have a week to share a short story about what the money helped with — a few honest sentences is plenty, photos welcome. Your gift is released to your account as soon as your story is approved, usually within a day. You choose how it's shared: with your first name, anonymously, or privately with just our team.
What if someone keeps the money and never shares a story?
The gift isn't released — it simply moves on to the next random person, so no chain ever ends silently. Repeatedly keeping without sharing removes you from Chain of Giving.
Will people see my name?
Not unless you want them to. By default you appear as “Someone in your city.” Each time you give, pass, or keep, you can choose to sign that link with your first name.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes. Chain of Giving is run as a charity, and every donation — starting a chain or growing one — is a charitable gift. You'll receive a receipt by email.
Are there limits?
Yes, and they're there to keep things safe. There's a cap on how much one person can keep from a single chain and on how much you can add in one go. Keeping a larger gift may ask you to verify your identity first.
Can I bring in people I know?
Please do. You can invite friends and family to join the pool, or challenge them to grow a specific chain with you. Every new member makes the next chain's landing spot a little more interesting.
Who pays for Chain of Giving?
Sponsors and people who believe in the mission. 100% of a chain's money goes to the person who keeps it — the platform is funded separately.