Auction Website Combines Unique Experiences With Philanthropy

Wouldn't it be great if you could have the experience of a lifetime (e.g. meet your favorite celebrity or go on a seven-day luxury cruise) and make a positive difference in the world, too? At CharityBuzz, it happens all the time.

The Manhattan-based for-profit company helps non-profit organizations raise funds by auctioning off celebrity and business experiences, travel packages, shopping sprees, luxury items and collectibles, and a host of other events and memorabilia most people normally wouldn't have access to. CharityBuzz, the world's first charity auction site, was founded by entrepreneur Coppy Holzman and launched in April 2004 out of his Westport, Connecticut home.

Holzman, who previously co-founded online grocery Webvan, came up with the idea for CharityBuzz after attending a fundraiser for the Clinton Library, where he rubbed elbows with former President Bill Clinton and actor Chevy Chase. At a friend's suggestion, he applied his Internet know-how and organized the first CharityBuzz auction to help raise money for an organization Chase was supporting. The experience that was auctioned off was a golf outing with Chase and Bill Murray, based on the 1980 film Caddyshack that the actors had starred in.

Already well-connected with the rich and famous, Holzman subsequently contacted other celebrities and charities, and the company eventually grew through word-of-mouth. In 2008, after running the company part-time for more than three years, Holzman focused on CharityBuzz full-time and moved the business to its current location in New York City. By then, CharityBuzz had already partnered with over 500 non-profits and attracted tens of thousands of bidders.

Since its inception, CharityBuzz has raised over $60 million for more than 1,000 chairities worldwide, including the American Red Cross, LIFEbeat, Oceana, Habitat for Humanity, and the Robert F. Kennedy Center. Of course, the company has also helped several happy customers fulfill their dreams.