Engaging Donation System Teaches the Community the Value of Giving Back

This year, Ülemiste Centre has replaced its cash donation box with an electronic donation system, allowing visitors to support four organisations with their chosen amount. However, the playful option of donating cash remains. 

Tiia Nõmm, Head of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility of Ülemiste Centre, stated that the goal of changing the system is to offer visitors more opportunities to give back to the community. According to her, cash transactions are becoming less common in retail, which could be one reason for the decline in donation activity over the years. "Currently, the availability of cash limits donations. To prevent people from needing to visit a separate cash machine to make a donation, we have decided to add card payment options to the donation boxes," she said. "While the smallest withdrawal at the ATM is five euros, the card payment option gives people more freedom to donate an amount that suits them," Nõmm added. 

Nõmm also noted that the prominent donation stand, designed with children in mind, serves as an attraction in itself. "The engaging donation system is designed with children in mind, teaching them playfully to give back to the community from an early age," she explained. She gave an example of how the new stand’s cash module features coin slots at various heights so that even younger children can reach them to make donations. "Giving could become a positive habit that starts at a young age," added Tiia Nõmm, Head of Marketing and Corporate Responsibility.  

The organisations supported by the new donation system are the Eestimaa Looduse Fond, the Estonian Animal Protection Society, the Tartu University Hospital Children’s Fund, and the Estonian Red Cross. The upgrade also includes a contribution from Ülemiste Centre itself – the centre will match donations made. For example, a five-euro donation will result in a total of ten euros for the organisation. The updated donation stand remains located in front of Rimi. 

Siiri Ottender-Paasma, Strategy Manager of the Tartu University Hospital Children's Fund, said that long-term partnerships provide charities with assurance and confidence to continue their work. "The mission of the Tartu University Hospital Children's Fund is to provide treatment for sick children, and stopping treatment once started is the worst thing that can happen. The years of cooperation with Ülemiste Centre are just such a partnership that we can rely on, and the new innovative donation option initiated by the centre is so exciting that it simply cannot be ignored. We believe that this playful act of kindness will help both children and adults better understand why and how they should help those who cannot help themselves," said Ottender-Paasma. 

Meelis Piller, Communication and Marketing Director of the Estonian Red Cross, mentioned that donations are currently on the decline. "The new payment solution in the donation system will definitely open up more opportunities for donations, and we believe that donations will start to increase," he said. Piller added that the current donations are used to organise free first aid training in kindergartens and schools. "First aid skills can save lives and help us all be better prepared to handle unexpected situations. To do our work more effectively and reach more people, we need the help of generous individuals. Every donation helps us spread first aid knowledge and skills, teach children and youth, and acquire necessary equipment," he said. 

Geit Karurahu, a board member of the Estonian Animal Protection Society, said that donating to the society allows people to contribute to helping animals that have not yet encountered a caring person or have somehow lost that care. "Donations also help the ELS work towards improving the lives and conditions of animals through advising, training, informing pet owners, and participating in legislation," she added. 

Silvia Lotman, a board member of the Eestimaa Looduse Fond, expressed pleasure at seeing the gradual development of Estonia’s donation culture. "Understandably, donations have largely moved into the digital realm, so we welcome Ülemiste’s new e-donation system initiative. This year, the Eestimaa Looduse Fond will use the donations collected to organise environmentally friendly forestry workdays and protect the inhabitants of old forests. Donations are one way to contribute to preserving our shared environment and to understand and value its role," said Lotman.