A couple of local outdoor nonprofit organizations have received sizable donations from an anonymous philanthropist giving away millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin to organizations around the world.
Two months ago, the donor, who goes by the name “Pine,” posted a message to online forum Reddit letting users know he was giving 5,057 Bitcoin – worth roughly $86 million at the time – to charitable causes.
The Tennessee River Gorge Trust and Green Steps in Chattanooga, an organization fighting litter, was among those selected. The trust converted its cryptocurrency into $250,000, while Green Steps received six Bitcoin, worth about $15,000 each.
“You wish for altruism, but you don’t always see it,” said Rick Huffines, executive director of the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. “This person gave for the better of the community, and they did it without asking for anything. No [follow-up] report was even required.”
There was a considerable learning curve for the groups receiving the donations.