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By Waveney Ann Moore, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Sunday, February 14, 2010

Pinellas Park Internet business makes it easier to donate to charities

With the nation's emotions running high after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, David Weiss joined the millions rushing to send money to agencies charged with helping victims and their families.

Over and over again he tried, but the American Red Cross Web site was overwhelmed.

Frustrated, Weiss called the charity's St. Petersburg office. Could he set up a link on his company's Web site to make it easier for people to give money, he asked. The answer was yes.

Nine years later, Weiss' Paybyweb Pinellas Park business has helped the organization raise millions for victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, Hurricanes Katrina and Ike, and most recently, January's earthquake in Haiti.

Donations to Haiti through his Web site are nearing $1 million, part of the rising trend in online charitable giving. Noelle Barton, manager of special projects for the Chronicle of Philanthropy, says growth of online fundraising is outpacing more traditional methods. Online giving, though, still makes up only a small percentage of donations received by large charities, she said...