Donate foreign currneyc to Muntenactie Amsterdam

Foreign currency can quickly pile up after a vacation or business trip. Once you get home, it often ends up at the bottom of a drawer, in a wallet, or in a jar on the shelf. Although the money has no direct value in daily life in the Netherlands, it can still be put to good use. Several initiatives aim to collect foreign change for charities.

One such initiative is the Muntenactie (Mint Action) in Amsterdam, but participating isn’t always easy. In this article, we compare the Muntenactie with other, more accessible options such as the Cambio Foundation, to find the most practical way to donate foreign currency.

What is the Muntenactie Amsterdam?

The Muntenactie is an initiative that offers people the opportunity to donate their leftover foreign currency to a good cause. In this case, it’s the ’t Brinkie Children’s Farm in Amsterdam. The idea is that holidaymakers can deposit their leftover coins—from euro cents to British pounds or US dollars—in specially placed milk churns at select supermarkets in and around Amsterdam. This foreign change is then exchanged for euros and donated to the charity.

How does Muntenactie Amsterdam work?

In principle, the Muntenactie concept is simple: people collect foreign change that might otherwise go unused and donate it in special milk churns. This sounds like a win-win situation for everyone. However, in practice, donating through Muntenactie can be more complicated than it first appears.

A limited number of collection points at Muntenactie Amsterdam

The biggest stumbling block for Muntenactie is that the collection points—the milk churns—are only available at a very limited number of locations. These milk churns are only located at a handful of supermarkets in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. If you don’t happen to live near one of these supermarkets, this means you’ll have to make an extra effort to donate your foreign money. This can be especially problematic for people who live outside Amsterdam or for whom it’s simply not practical to go to a specific supermarket.

At a time when convenience and accessibility are paramount, this restriction of collection points seems like a missed opportunity. It’s unrealistic to expect people to keep their foreign change for long enough to bring it specifically to one of the few locations. This can make the barrier to donation too high, and the change can remain unused at home.

’t Brinkie Children’s Farm: The Only Good Cause

Another important point to consider is that the Muntenactie only supports one good cause: ’t Brinkie Children’s Farm in Amsterdam. While this is undoubtedly a very worthy cause, it limits the campaign’s appeal for people who might want to support other charities. With so many different charities, both domestically and internationally, often in urgent need of financial support, the lack of choice can be a disadvantage for donors who prefer to give their money to a different type of organization.

Moreover, it’s not clear to everyone why this particular children’s farm is the only recipient. Children’s farms are certainly important to the local community, but for some donors, a broader distribution of the proceeds would be more attractive, especially if their money goes to a cause that resonates with them personally, such as poverty reduction, education, or environmental conservation.

Let’s summarize the main obstacles facing the Muntenactie Amsterdam:

1. Limited collection points: The milk cans are only available at a small number of supermarkets in Amsterdam, which makes participating in the campaign difficult for many people.

2. No online option: In the digital age, it’s striking that there’s no way to simply send foreign currency by mail or make an online donation.

3. Only one charity: The fact that the Coin Campaign focuses exclusively on the ’t Brinkie Children’s Farm can deter potential donors who prefer to donate their money to a different cause.

4. Effort and time investment: To participate in the Coin Campaign, you have to drive specifically to a supermarket where a milk can is available. This requires extra effort that isn’t always feasible in a busy daily life.

While the goal and concept of the Coin Campaign are commendable, these factors limit the campaign’s accessibility and success.

Cambio Foundation: A more accessible alternative

For those looking for a more accessible alternative, the Cambio Foundation offers a solution. This foundation also focuses on collecting foreign change, but offers much more convenience for the donor.

What is the Cambio Foundation?

The Cambio Foundation is committed to raising foreign currency without donors having to visit physical locations to donate. Instead, people can simply send their foreign currency to the foundation, where it is then converted and donated to various charities. This not only makes the process easier but also more accessible for people who don’t live in Amsterdam or near Muntenactie’s limited collection points.

How does donating to the Cambio Foundation work?

The Cambio Foundation process is simple and designed to involve as many people as possible:

1. Collect your foreign currency: This can be coins and banknotes of any foreign currency.

2. Pack your money: After collecting your money, pack it in an envelope and send it to the Cambio Foundation. This can easily be done by mail.

3. No restrictions on charities: The Cambio Foundation donates the proceeds to various charities. This makes it more attractive for donors, because they know their money will benefit various social and community projects.

The advantages of the Cambio Foundation

1. Convenience: You don’t have to go to a physical location to donate your money. This makes the process much simpler and more accessible for everyone in the Netherlands.

2. Versatility: Unlike the Coin Action, where proceeds go solely to the ’t Brinkie Children’s Farm, the Cambio Foundation donates to multiple charities. This offers donors more choice and the opportunity to support a wider range of social projects.

3. Effectiveness: By simplifying the entire donation process, Cambio increases the chance that people will actually donate their foreign change instead of letting it sit unused.

4. National reach: Because donations are made by mail, the Cambio Foundation isn’t limited to Amsterdam or a specific region. Anyone in the Netherlands can easily participate in the campaign.

Why Cambio Could Be a Better Choice

For many people, the Cambio Foundation will be a more attractive alternative than Muntenactie, primarily because of its convenience and versatility. While Muntenactie is limited by a handful of physical locations and just one charity, Cambio offers a nationwide platform that supports multiple charities and is much more accessible.

For those who find themselves with leftover change after a vacation or business trip, Cambio offers a no-nonsense solution: you put it in an envelope, mail it, and know the money will go to good causes. This process requires no special trips to specific supermarkets or time-consuming steps, making it much more appealing to the average donor.

Conclusion

The Coin Action has a good cause in mind and offers people the opportunity to donate their foreign change to the ’t Brinkie Children’s Farm in Amsterdam. The concept is simple, but in practice it faces several obstacles: there are few collection points, and the fact that the money only goes to one charity can be a turn-off for some donors. Furthermore, participating in the Coin Action is impractical for many people due to the limited locations where milk cans are available.

The Cambio Foundation, on the other hand, offers a much more accessible alternative. By offering the option of sending foreign currency by mail, the process becomes feasible for everyone in the Netherlands. Moreover, Cambio supports multiple charities, making it attractive to a wider audience to donate their leftover coins. In a world where convenience and accessibility are becoming increasingly important, Cambio seems the most logical and practical choice for anyone who wants to donate their foreign change to a good cause.

If you have any foreign coins or banknotes lying around that you no longer need, consider donating them using the instructions below.

How to donate to Charity Cambio?

• We accept all types of foreign currency, both coins and banknotes.
• This also includes currency that is generally no longer exchangeable.
• You can drop off your donation yourself at the reception desk at the address below. Opening hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM.
• You can also mail your donation. Please be sure to cover the shipping costs yourself. Please include your information (IBAN and email address) in a note inside the envelope, and we will reimburse the shipping costs.
• If you provide an email address, you will always receive a response. Please be patient, as we are volunteers and process received currency quarterly.
• Send your foreign currency to the address below:

Locations of donation boxes for donating foreign money