Charities tapping into social networks for support


(ARA) – The way we talk with our friends, the way we date, eat, watch TV, even the way we vote has been transformed by the sudden and overwhelming popularity of social media technology. Our activities in the actual world are becoming ever more deeply intertwined with our activities in the virtual world.

In their ongoing efforts to find new supporters and strengthen bonds with the ones they already have, charities, too, are flocking to social media. Unlike letters in your mailbox or TV commercials, digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter give charities a chance to engage supporters in emotionally powerful ways – ways that not only encourage monetary giving, but turn supporters into full-blown advocates.  

Take the example of the humanitarian organization CARE. In 1946, CARE began sending boxes of food and essential supplies to a Europe reeling from Second World War. The program resonated with so many senders and receivers that the phrase “care package” became a common synonym for any gift parcels sent to far-away friends and relatives. Today the organization is trying to tap into fond memories of this legacy through social media. At www.CAREpackage.org, CARE invites donors to fill a digital CARE Package with money supporting CARE’s long-term poverty fighting programs focusing on girls’ education, maternal health, and economic empowerment for women through microfinance and small business training. Where it differs most from traditional online giving is through functions allowing social network friends to build packages together – all connected through Facebook, Twitter and e-mail. CARE Package “senders” are also invited to educate themselves and their friends on key issues, and as well offer tools to reach out to elected representatives.

CARE is not alone in using social networking to generate support. Applications like TwitChange generate interest and big money for charitable causes by auctioning the opportunity to be followed, mentioned or retweeted by their favorite celebrities on Twitter.

Even large corporate givers with a big presence in traditional marketing venues are moving into the social media space. General Mills and Merck have teamed up for an online charitable giving project called Join My Village. Simply by clicking on hyperlinks to videos, visitors to www.JoinMyVillage.com can steer donations from the two corporations to a microsavings program helping rural girls and women in Malawi. Because the site interfaces with Facebook and Twitter, it’s easy for users to invite their social networks to participate, increasing total donations, but also awareness of poverty issues around the globe.

How charitable giving through social networking will evolve during the next years, or even the next 10 months, is anyone’s guess. A decade ago, few people (if anyone) predicted the social network-based advocacy and giving that’s exploding in popularity today. What is certain is that changes in technology inevitably create new ways for charities and supporters to connect.

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CHARLOTTE
After her husband died in 2006, Mary Logan found herself alone in Lincolnton, N.C. Retired after years of working in the town’s mill, she decided to move closer to her family in Charlotte.

Though she grew up with very little, Logan never once considered herself poor. Despite her limited means, Logan knew there were some things no one should go without. That’s why she was thankful to find the Free Store, a program sponsored by Crisis Assistance Ministry that distributes clothing, shoes and other necessities to people in need.

“Nobody should go without clothes. Nobody,” she said. “I’ve found things that I thought I would never find. I mean, really, it’s a blessing.”

Logan isn’t someone you might expect to see at the Free Store. By her own admission, she has the means to shop at department stores, but she simply said, “I’d rather come here.”

Surprised? You shouldn’t be, said store manager John Wakefield. He said Crisis Assistance Ministry’s goal is to help everyone, including patrons like Logan.

“We don’t care where you live, how much money you make, if you have a job or not, or if you have a home or not,” he said. “We want you to take that money and go help pay your rent, your utilities, your food bill for your kids, whatever it may be, and just come here and help take that extra pressure off.”

Crisis Assistance Ministry began in 1975, during the mid-1970s economic downturn. A group of local clergy set out with the goal of “pooling resources to more effectively meet the needs of low-income families in financial crisis in Mecklenburg County.” The Free Store became a staple of Crisis Assistance Ministry’s offerings in 1978.

Ministry grows in response to need

Today, Crisis Assistance Ministry has grown to become one of the largest nonprofit agencies of its kind in North Carolina. The organization receives most of its funding from government grants and private contributions. In 2009, grants and contributions exceeded $17 million, with almost half coming from the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Rather than reacting in the wake of financial disaster, Wakefield said the organization takes measures to prevent financial distress for individuals before it occurs. Redirecting funds from expenses like clothing and toward more pressing financial obligations is one way to accomplish the goal.

“We have approximately 7,000 individuals in Charlotte right now without homes,” he said. “We want to keep that number from going up, and that’s truly what we’re here for.”

Last year, Crisis Assistance Ministry helped more than 50,000 Charlotte area families through financial assistance programs, furniture and appliance distribution, as well as the Free Store. Communications Director Akilah Luke said it’s not uncommon to see hundreds of people lined up outside their doors every day as early as 6 a.m., especially during the cold winter months. By intervening and helping these families before their situations worsen, Luke said Crisis Assistance Ministry plays a distinctive role.

“We’re that place — that safety net to catch families before they become homeless, and just allow people to just continue on with their lives and live with dignity,” she said.

But contrary to what one might expect, the majority of their patrons aren’t living in extreme circumstances. Just looking around the expansive waiting room inside Crisis Assistance Ministry’s main branch, there are faces that are not immediately associated with financial hardship. Instead you see folks like Mary Logan, the people you interact with every day.

“The families we serve are the working poor,” Luke said. “These are people that are your school bus drivers, the people who are checking you out at the grocery store, maybe it’s the barista at your coffee shop. These are the people that you’re helping, your neighbors.”

The number of people seeking financial assistance has increased significantly since the beginning of the financial crisis. Before the recession hit in 2006, Crisis Assistance Ministry served just over 40,000 families. Today, due in part to increases of more than 60 percent in hunger and homelessness since 2007, the organization is serving more than 10,000 additional families.

Charlotte city officials are also involved in fighting the growing number of homeless, and the almost 40,000 citizens living in extreme poverty. The city’s communications manager Jamie Banks said one way they are attacking this problem is by seeking to increase the amount of affordable housing throughout the city.

Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill found that traditional measures of poverty did not adequately reflect the dispersion of poverty in North Carolina. As a result, scholars discovered that large – and largely affluent – metropolitan areas like Charlotte and Raleigh contain sections of concentrated poverty.

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Summer months provide ideal opportunity for charitable endeavors

Pay it forward: Children have the power to make a difference

(ARA) – In many ways, the joint birthday party in late January for 8-year old Sofia Segalla and her best friend, Clara Goulding, was full of traditional fun. They and 28 of their classmates enjoyed inflatable structures, a whirlwind of exciting games and exchanging giggles like only 8-year-olds can.

What was unusual, and truly inspiring about Sofia and Clara’s party, however, is that in lieu of gifts, the girls requested that donations be made to a Chicago-based nonprofit, Friends of the Orphans, to help children in need in Haiti who were affected by the country’s devastating January 2010 earthquake. The birthday guests contributed approximately $900 to St. Damien’s Pediatric Hospital, an amount that pleasantly surprised Sofia’s mom Michele.

“We did something similar for my son several years ago when he was 5, and this year, Sofia was truly excited about doing a party fundraiser,” says Michele Segalla. “It really made her think, and she’s more aware about people in need and how fortunate she is.”

It’s no secret that Americans are a generous bunch, and according to Giving USA, 83 percent of philanthropic dollars are contributed by individuals. In 2009, this amount totaled just more than $227 billion. While adults are well-versed in the benefits of philanthropic giving, teaching children the impact they can make by getting involved in fundraising activities and volunteerism can help shape a future generation of leaders.

“Helping others in need, and in Friends of the Orphans’ case, helping children in need, is tightly woven into our country’s fabric,” says Sharon Saxelby, president and CEO of Friends of the Orphans.

“By involving our children in charitable opportunities from a young age, we are not only reinforcing how blessed they may be in their own lives, but we are demonstrating that even the smallest initiative can make them feel good and change the lives of others. It’s important for adults to lead by example,” she says.

For parents interested in involving their children in charitable initiatives, how do they begin? With the lazy days of summer quickly approaching, parents have a wide open opportunity to seize some of those free hours and work side-by-side with their children on identifying which causes might appeal to them and how much time they can dedicate.

Based on what sparks their children’s interest, whether it’s sports, animals, nature, music or something else, parents and their kids can jointly research local or national opportunities for donation recipients. Sites like CharityNavigator.com allow visitors to search by category, hot topics or top 10 lists. Another option is to stay local. For instance, if a child has a love of animals, contact the local animal shelter to see what is at the top of their “wish list.” The most important thing when considering a cause to support is that the children get excited about it.

For a suburban Chicago 13-year-old, Caleigh Joyce, choosing an organization to benefit from her eighth-grade confirmation service project was an easy decision. Her family is a long-time Friends of the Orphans sponsor to 11-year-old Dulce from Cuernavaca, Mexico, so Caleigh knew she wanted to directly help children in need there.

For her “Frutas y Verduras Para los Amigos y Victorias” (Fruits and Vegetables For Friends) project, Caleigh created a flier, a mass e-mail to family and friends, and a website (friendsoftheorphans.org/caleighsproject) explaining her ambitious goal of raising approximately $2,000 to purchase four months of fresh fruits and vegetables for 180 high school children living in a group home in Cuernavaca. After visiting the home and her “sister” Dulce in February, she felt even closer to the cause and saw the direct impact her efforts will make.

“I chose to do this because it’s really meaningful and makes me feel good. It’s important, so I’m talking to a lot of friends and family about donating,” Caleigh says.

Saxelby notes that a secondary benefit to children getting involved in charitable endeavors is that it strengthens their future college applications and helps them distinguish themselves from their peers.

After children identify who they want to raise money for, the next step is how to raise the money. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and many activities can be completed in a day. Based on the age of the child and how many friends and adults he or she can enlist to assist, a few suggestions to consider, especially during the summer months, include:

* Neighborhood dog wash
* Charity car wash
* Used book sale
* Making and selling homemade jewelry
* Birthday party donation in lieu of gifts
* Backyard movie night on large screen under the stars

“There are so many worthy charitable organizations and creative ways to raise money. By fostering an existing love, children will be more motivated to stay involved,” Saxelby says. “Whether raising money to help the local animal shelter buy puppy food, or volunteering to clean up a park where kids spend hours playing basketball, that personal connection is really important.

“Today’s children have so much power to really make an impact in our world. Engaging kids in charitable initiatives creates a deeper bond within their own families and also brings them closer to those they are helping.”

For more information about Friends of the Orphans, visit www.friendsoftheorphans.org.

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It 2011! Wow, how time fly, seems like 2010 only lasted a couple of months. I do remember most of the good, thanks to planning and getting things done on a schedule. As administrator here at City5nc I get to talk to lot of people from all over the world, and I get many thoughts and views, on how to make life better, as far as day to day living, some good and others not so good.

These are things we consider essential for most people, from low income to middle class trying to survive in this economy.

1. Try to pay your credit cards down or off, spend cash if possible, pay a few dollars more than the minimum, use only one card with low interest rate, and low balance for emergencies.
2. Eat healthy foods, buy local fruits and vegetables when you can, or grow your own when the seasons are in. buy food in bulk when appropriate, not just when it on sale.
3. If times are really tight, try turning your hobby or crafting idea into a money making venture. Do a search online for crafts and hobbies ideas, go to craft shows, take an online course from your local Community College, use what you already know as a starting point.
4. Remember that what goes around comes around, so don’t wait for someone to do something nice for you first, start by giving or helping someone along with an act of kindness, it just might come back to you when you really need it, or you just might feel good.
5. If you live in the City riding the bus a few days a week, could save you lots of money, gas, less traffic, and no headache.
6. Banking and Savings in the major banks is more expensive, with more fees and banking cost, using your debit card could cost you more at some banks, not just at the ATM but news fees. If you have a saving account and it’s been hard to keep the minimum balance that your bank have on that account, then you are paying the bank to save your own money. Find a bank that has a low minimum balance.
7. Make a plan to become debt free, it’s not impossible to do. Start paying a payment and a half each time you make a mortgage payment, credit card, car, medical bills and before you know it your bills are paid. Start small and test the waters, if you can do this without breaking your bank, then you’re on your way.
8. Down time, well it’s also important to get in your rest and relaxation, so budget enough for that special get away. Whether you are young, older, retired a break from the routine, same old same can can make Jack a dull boy and Jill too. Taking time off for that fishing trip, traveling, sight-seeing, visiting another Country or US State or just taking a break to pamper yourself is all good.
9. Small Businesses should try to invest in their companies, but don’t forget about the employees, before you pass out those lay-off or pink slips try working with your employees to maybe work out a salary or benefit compromise until the economy improves.
10. Don’t Complain about what you dis-like about your life, just add some things you do like, and the rest will fall in place.

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(NAPSI)-According to a Direct Selling Association survey, more than 16 million Americans are direct sales representatives these days and they sell nearly $30 billion worth of products and services, despite the down economy.

There are many ways to get in on this growing opportunity to become an entrepreneur-and a surprising reason.

Doing Well And Doing Good

In some cases, you can not only make money, set your own hours and maintain your independence, you can help others as well. That’s because of another trend in business: the emergence of entrepreneurs taking social responsibility to new levels. These forward-thinking business owners have woven the concept of “giving” into the very fabric of their companies from day one. While it’s generally expected that companies make charitable donations once they have made it big, it takes an entirely different mind-set to create a profitable business model strategically based on the premise of helping others.

For example, one cause-oriented, for-profit business has expanded this concept further by putting giving power in the hands of its customers.

Specializing in the in-home purchase of precious metals, the company donates a minimum of 2.5 percent of all purchases to charitable organizations selected by party hostesses. As a result, in just two years, it’s given more than half a million dollars to thousands of charities across the country.

The expertly trained professional buyers who join Golden Girls are given the latest technology to assess, measure and certify the gold they purchase.

Party attendees can sell their unwanted jewelry in a pressure-free environment and get paid on the spot while enjoying the company of friends.

Charities across North America can use gold-buying parties as fundraising opportunities for their members, supporters and other contacts. These organizations can even create a network of parties to maximize their rewards

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