Maybe you can help me figure this out…

A few months ago, I promoted a contest at GiveBack.org that gave $50,000 to the first place winner. An atheist named Chris McCoy asked other users on Reddit to vote for him and he quickly took over the top spot, eventually winning the money.

One of the reasons I was so excited to support him was because he said a big chunk of the prize money was going to go to secular organizations that I support — including the Secular Student Alliance, Freedom From Religion Foundation, the Center For Inquiry, and the Foundation Beyond Belief.

Well, it’s been a few months and I know Foundation Beyond Belief hasn’t seen any of that money.

The Secular Student Alliance didn’t even know they were one of the groups Chris said he wanted to support.

When I spoke to Ron Lindsay at the Center For Inquiry, he told me they not not received a donation from Chris McCoy or GiveBack.org.

So where did the money go?

To be sure, I’m not complaining. And this isn’t some accusation against Chris. I know this was a gift, that it was ultimately Chris’ choice where the money went, and that it didn’t have to go to us. But since groups I have worked with (and still work with) were listed as possible beneficiaries, this is more than some passing curiosity. This money could help my organizations quite a bit.

I tried contacting AtheistGiveBack — the account Chris was using on Reddit — a week ago and still haven’t heard back.

I want to know where the money went and I want to know that it went somewhere worthwhile. A lot of people including me supported him in the contest precisely because of where the prize money was going to go. Don’t we deserve an answer?

Any help in getting to the bottom of this would be appreciated.



