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How Prime Day can help your community

Shoppers can help charities in their community in a simple and easy way through Amazon.

Amazon Prime Day for many is a way to get deals for online purchases for the customer, but it can also be a way for shoppers to help out charities that they care about.

Instead of going to Amazon.com to shop, shoppers who want to have Amazon donate money on their behalf should type in smile.amazon.com

Stacey Keller, a spokesperson for Amazon, said that after clicking the organization of your choice, the shopping experience is no different.

Participating in the Smile Program does not cost the shopper or the charity any money. When the shopper makes eligible purchases, Amazon donates 0.5 percent of the purchase to the charity chosen.

RELATED: Begley's Bargains: Shopping for the best Amazon Prime Day deals

Keller said that shoppers can shop through the Smile Program all year long. Keller also pointed out that since 2013 when the Amazon Smile Program began, shoppers have raised more than $134,890,393 for various charities.

Denelle Ellison, a spokesperson for Greater Sacramento Urban League, said that the money from people's purchases is an easy way to help out the Urban League.

"It's a thoughtful, easy way to give back," Ellison said.

Ellison said that while the Smile Program doesn't provide all the money they need, it does help them enough to make a difference.

When searching for an organization to donate to, shoppers can look for an organization they know or search for charities in their area.

For the Sacramento area, there are more than 100 organizations that are participating in the Amazon Smile Program. Here are 30 charities, to name a few:

  1. Soroptimist International of Sacramento
  2. Parents of Murdered Children 
  3. Sacramento Blues Society
  4. Sacramento Valley Teen Challenge
  5. Veterans Affiliated Council of Sacramento
  6. Bicolandia Association of Sacramento
  7. Downtown Sacramento Foundation
  8. Environmental Council of Sacramento
  9. Jinan-Sacramento Sister City Corporation
  10. Sacramento Area Animal Coalition
  11. Sacramento Compassionate Center
  12. Sacramento Barons Athletic Organization
  13. Assistance League of Sacramento
  14. Education Francaise De Sacramento French Education
  15. West Sacramento Housing Development Corporation
  16. Intersection Community Church
  17. Sikh Punjabi Youth Club
  18. Placerville and Sacramento Valley Railroad Inc.
  19. East Sacramento Babe Ruth
  20. Friends of the Arts Commission
  21. Sacramento SPCA
  22. Greater Sacramento Urban League
  23. Oak Park Rotary House Foundation
  24. Little League Baseball
  25. Friends of Folsom
  26. Suicide Prevention of Yolo County
  27. Insight Garden Program
  28. Kennedy High School Baseball Booster Club
  29.  Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary
  30. Highlands Mutual Housing Corporation Inc.

And so many more!

Ellison said that the Urban League has only been participating for about a year. She said it is super easy to join as an organization.

Amazon accepts most 501(c)(3) organizations and outlines their process for organizations to register on their website.

WATCH MORE: Inside Amazon: How Sacramento's fulfillment center is gearing up for Prime Day 2019

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