Press

Press Releases:

February 1, 2012: Passports with Purpose Unites More Than 100 Travel Bloggers to Support Education and Libraries in Zambia. Fourth Annual Online Fundraiser Leverages Social Media and Raises $89,699 for Room to Read

November 29, 2011: Passports with Purpose Begins Annual Online Fundraiser. Goal is to Raise $80,000 to Build Two Libraries in Zambia.

August 5, 2011: Passports with Purpose Partners with Room to Read to Build Two Libraries in Zambia

November 5, 2010: Passports with Purpose announces 2010 dates and shares sample prizes

June 25, 2010: Passports with Purpose 2010 Builds a Village in India

Nov 11, 2009: Passports with Purpose Calls Upon Travel Enthusiasts to Help Build a School in Cambodia

Press:

December 15, 2011: Ecosalon.com – Passports with Purpose: Fundraising Gets Inspiring

December 8, 2011: Tnooz.com – Footprints and Passports with Purpose: two ways to give back

“In December, Passports with Purpose is raising money for libraries in Zambia in partnership with Room to Read, a US-registered non-profit organization. We like the idea of travel writers helping children read.”

December 2, 2011: Ethical Traveler – Travel Bloggers and Readers Making a Difference

November 30, 2011: Seattle Met – Passports with Purpose Offers Prizes and Good Karma

November 23, 2011: KOAN-AM - A moment with Passports with Purpose and Pam Mandel (audio link)

“This annual holiday-season project is a great way for us [travel bloggers] to evangelize a little about where we go and why … at the same time funding a great project.”

November 17, 2011: Travellll.com – Travel Talk from BlogWorld and New Media Expo West, Los Angeles (Part 2)

“As travel blogging fundraiser Passports with Purpose (PwP) gears up for 2011, co-founder Beth Whitman (@Wanderluster) explained that “We wanted some way, as travelers, to give back and help out when we travel … getting a group together to do something like this can provide exponential help for a cause, rather than trying to do it alone.” Whitman sketched PwP’s trajectory from raising US$7500 for Heifer International in 2008, to the 2011 goal: US$80,000 to build two libraries in Zambia.”

November 5, 2011 – The Gathering Road – Beth Whitman on Passports with Purpose (audio)

November 4, 2011: Blog World Expo, Los Angeles – Beth Whitman spoke on collaborating to build a better business, community and world, highlighting Passports with Purpose

November 2, 2011: Matador Network – 50 nonprofits making a world of difference

“While Orgs have traditionnally been large groups with vast networks and resources, technology has empowered everyday people to form not-for-profits with little more than a laptop and an idea. Pam Mandel, co-founder of Passports with Purpose — a community of travelers who raise funds for various causes around the globe — describes how necessary current technology is to their organization: Blogging is the primary medium for getting our message out — what we’re supporting and why we care. But we back that with lots of social media interaction, primarily Twitter and Facebook. Without social media, who can say how long it would have taken to build the kind of reach PwP has.”

November 2011: TravelBlogs.com – Cover to Cover: A Passports with Purpose Interview

“People like being able to make a meaningful contribution, and this gives them a way to do it using the skills and resources they have. Sometimes blogging is like talking into an echo chamber. Is anyone reading? Are you making a difference to anyone? It’s hard to know. Participating in Passports with purpose lets you point to something – a school, or a house, or a library and say “I helped build that. My blog helped build that.’”

October 28, 2011: Gadling – Travelbloggers Fundraiser Passports with Purpose Enters Year Four

“Passports with Purpose uses social media, blogging, and the generosity of sponsors to achieve success. But it’s individual bloggers that are the key to PwP’s continued success.”

October 26, 2011: Travelllll.com – Passports with Purpose Travel Blogging Fundraiser Aims for $80,000 – Can you help?

A charity collects well over their yearly target figure of $13,000, thinks to itself “well, that went well, let’s aim a bit higher next year…” Cut to the end of the fundraiser. They don’t have $50,000 – they have $64,128, over 25% higher than expected and a whopping 490% up on 2009′s takings. How did they do it? Hard work, a worthy cause…and community.

October 20, 2011: BootsnAll – Passports with Purpose 2011: How You Can Help

October 19 2011: Huffington Post – Passports with Purpose 2011: It’s About Reading

November 15, 2010: World Hum — Passports with Purpose Turns Three

November 10, 2010: Passports with Purpose on KUDO Alaska Radio (Starts at about 28:00)

September 29, 2010: KBCS (NPR Affiliate) – On the Blogs (audio)

September 29, 2010: TNOOZ: Travel Bloggers with Purpose Building a Village in India

Aug 10, 2010: TourismKeys: Passports With Purpose: Travel Bloggers and Tourism Industry Making a Difference

Aug 9, 2010: MatadorChange: 19 Reasons to Feel Hopeful about the World

July 22, 2010: FoxBusiness.com: Finalists for First Annual Bloganthropy Awards Announced.

Dec 20, 2009: NY Times: Frugal Traveler; Frugal But With Plenty to Give

Dec 8, 2009: Gadling: Passports With Purpose Raises $13,000 to Build School in Cambodia

Dec 2, 2009: WorldHum: Passports With Purpose is Back