If I'd been thinking, I would have posted info about this program in December, when everyone was getting cards in the post. Oh well, better late than never.
Most people I talk to have never heard of Oxfam's "Stamp out Poverty" program (actually, most people in Canada have never heard of Oxfam), but I think it's brilliant. The program collects postage stamps from volunteers across Canada to sell them to collectors and raise money for Oxfam projects.
I've participated for years, and it's as easy as cutting the cancelled stamps off envelopes I receive in the mail. Really! I just save them up until I have a whole bunch, then send them in. It's unbelievably easy.
The stamp program needs volunteers to collect stamps, or even donate valuable stamp collections, which they sell to philatelists (stamp collectors--there's a word of the day for 'ya LOL). Here's some info I pulled from Oxfam Canada's website:
How the money is raised
Those used stamps and envelopes can add up. Oxfam Canada volunteers raise about $10,000 annually by sorting and selling stamps to collectors. Nearly $250,000 has been given to Oxfam from the Stamp Program since it started in 1980.
What you should save
- Everything!
- foreign stamps
- Canadian stamps
- commemorative stamps
- Keep the entire envelope if there are:
- clearly identifiable town/village postmarks
- registered/special delivery postmarks
Where should I send the stamps?
Once you've collected the stamps and envelopes they can be delivered to any Oxfam Canada office or sent directly to either:
Stamp Programme
Oxfam Canada
39 McArthur Ave
Ottawa, Ontario
K1L 8L7
No comments:
Post a Comment