FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Terry Nagel, home: 650-347-3576,

cell: 650-678-7082, email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

NEW WEB-BASED COMMUNITY WISH LIST DEBUTS

BURLNGAME, Calif. - December 11, 2006 - Just in time for holiday giving, the 2007 Community Wish List San Mateo County debuted today on the Web at www.communitywishlist.org with a new, searchable database.

Begun in 2004 as a print version that was also posted online as a PDF file, the list contains items that local nonprofit organizations would like donated which can be searched by item or organization name. The list was created by Terry Nagel, mayor of Burlingame, to help people assist community groups in a more tangible way than giving checks.

"The idea of the Wish List is simple," Nagel said. "Nonprofits list items they need that others may have on hand or wish to purchase new. People find pleasure in giving gifts to those in need, particularly if the items might go to waste otherwise." She noted that the list appeals to people's desire to help the environment because it means fewer things wind up in landfill areas. An added advantage to donors is that they can take a tax write-off.

Because people are encouraged to deliver the items directly to the nonprofits that need them, Nagel said they have an opportunity to see the good work that these organizations are doing and may be inspired to get more involved with them.

The current list, which enables nonprofits to do their own data entry, is a collaborative community effort that is funded and staffed by volunteers who live in Burlingame. It is not affiliated with city or county government. It was built by Anne Hennegar, using an open-source content management system. The logo was designed by Peter Tucker. The volunteers plan to eventually document the Wish List concept so other cities and counties can set up their own systems. In the future, if additional resources are offered, they would like to make printed copies available to residents who do not have access to computers.

Several dozen San Mateo County nonprofits already have hundreds of items posted on the Wish List. Each item remains listed for 120 days, then is deleted unless the person listing it responds to an update query. Organizations are encouraged to update their lists on a regular basis. Each organization's page includes its mission, services, contact information, a link to its Web site and, in most cases, its logo and a Google map pointing to its location.

Sections on the Wish List site include tutorials on how to add or edit an item and how to respond to a donation request. There is an extensive "Frequently Asked Questions" section and a list of resources.

Among the organizations listed are HIP Housing, Samaritan House, Peninsula Ballet Theatre, Project READ and the Women's Recovery Association. Items needed include sweat pants, used cell phones and PDAs, batteries, brown bags, computers, printers, snacks, comedy and action videos, educational games, pots and pans, gardening tools, towels, tricycles and bicycles, umbrellas, warm crib blankets, sleeping bags, a portable keyboard and speakers, a camera for documenting dental work, bedroom furniture, Ziploc bags, cleaning products, movie tickets, an eight-passenger vehicle and a bus ride to Sacramento to attend a conference. The most unusual items requested are an "autorefractor for ophthalmology" for Samaritan House and a "cyclorama and hamper" (a stage backdrop) for the Hillbarn Theatre.

Items donated in the past via the Wish List have included computers, a gas range, tennis rackets and tennis balls, soccer and basketball equipment, boys, towel sets, a video camera to document client wounds and a $2,500 LCD projector.

Not all organizations with 501(c)3 tax status are eligible to post items on the Wish List. Nagel said, "At the present time, we are only accepting lists from nonprofit organizations in San Mateo County that provide benefits to the public on a community-wide basis, such as those providing services to low-income populations, artistic endeavors and health-related services. While we cannot accommodate lists from individual schools and churches, we are accepting lists from organizations raising funds for or providing services to regional groups of schools or churches."

Nonprofit directors can determine if their organization is eligible to submit a Wish List by clicking on "Submit Organization" and filling out a form. If their organization is eligible, they will receive an invitation to submit a list of items that they would like donated. They can direct questions about eligibility to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

The Wish List is currently posted on the home pages of the City of Burlingame's Web site at www.burlingame.org and the Thrive Alliance of nonprofits at www.thrivealliance.org. Nagel encourages other cities and organizations to add a link, too. People can obtain a logo suitable for adding to their Web site by emailing her at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or calling (650) 347-3576. She is interested in hearing from others who would like to help volunteer with the Wish List project.

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