A Social Call to Action

Haiti still needs our help! 12for12k and Charity Moxie are joining forces to raise money and “Hope for Haiti!”

Purchase your tickets and then share/RSVP on the Facebook event page.  Join us at The Gates in NYC from 8pm-10pm on Tuesday, June 22nd.  100% of the proceeds go to “Hope for Haiti” and Social Fresh is donating $5 for every Foursquare checkin.  We have a guest list–so fake checkins will not work, but thanks anyway ;)

Make sure you RSVP on the Facebook event page because this will be the guest list for the door.

Show your support by tweeting, blogging and sharing on Facebook!

Ben Meck, recent NYC transplant, describes his involvement with the global movement, Twestival, and why we should all attend.  Tickets for Twestival can be purchased on the NYC Twestival site and the event venue address is 356 West 58th St.  You can also follow the NYC Twestival hashtag.

Tell me a little about yourself and your background.
I am passionate about doing what I love and loving what I do. Social media opens so many doors socially and professionally – Twestival is a great example of how social media can open doors to make an impact on the world.  New York City is a great place for someone with curiosity and passion – there are so many opportunities to get involved and make an impact. I own my own consulting agency for social media, web, and graphic design and work with clients on developing a social media presence and utilizing new technology.

What is Twestival?
Twestival (or Twitter Festival) is a global celebration of technology’s power to unite people and achieve social good. On February 12, 2009, the first Twestival Global was held in 202 cities around the world to support charity: water. Over 1,000 volunteers and 10,000 donors raised over $250,000, which charity: water used to construct more than 55 wells and bring clean water to 17,000 people. New York’s 2009 Twestival brought together more than a thousand people, raised more than $24,000 for charity: water, and brought a great deal of attention to a relatively new organization. On March 25, 2010, Twestivals will be held in more than 300 cities around the world, with every penny raised from ticket sales and donations directly benefiting the education programs of Concern Worldwide.

How are you involved with Twestival?
I organized Cleveland’s Twestival as part of the 2009 Global Twestival efforts and after moving to New York City, felt compelled to assist in any way that I could to make this city’s Twestival an amazing event.  I am on of the lead organizers and have handled most of the logistics for this Twestival, aiding sponsors, planning schedules, and working to utilize the incredible talent on the NYC Organizing committee. And that translates into lots and lots of caffeine.

When and where is NYC Twestival?
Thursday, March 25th, 2010 from 7-11pm at Good Units in NYC.

Why should someone attend Twestival?
100% of ticket sales go directly to Concern Worldwide.

How are you using social media to promote your cause/event?  What has been most effective?
Twitter!  Twitter has the power to inform.  By tweeting from @NYCTwestival we have been able to reach a massive audience; share ideas, information and get others interested in becoming involved!

What’s the most important thing you want someone to know about Twestival?
Twestival is organized by a group of talented and determined individuals who graciously donate their time and effort to produce a massive event supporting an important cause they believe in.

Linda Wilkinson founded Chikumbuso to help empower widows and orphans in Zambia.  After meeting a Zambian widow and her seven children, Linda took action and created a sustainable solution.  Chikumbuso projects include a school for orphans, widows’ micro-enterprise, single mom lifeskills training, grandmother outreach, and afterschool programs.

Chikumbuso from Nicole D’Alonzo on Vimeo.

Steven Weinberg CEO of WILL WORK FOR FOOD

Steven Weinberg is the CEO of WILL WORK FOR FOOD.  After hearing President Clinton speak about the need for global citizens, Steven and some fellow University of Michigan classmates took action.  They implemented a local volunteerism project that makes a global impact.  Visit their site to learn how you can help!

What is WILL WORK FOR FOOD?

We feel as though our slogan really captures us in a nutshell: “volunteering locally to save children globally.”

WILL WORK FOR FOOD aims to stimulate local community service while raising relief funds to fight child malnutrition abroad. Our participants volunteer in their community and then ask friends and family to sponsor this work with a donation. The money raised helps our affiliates, Doctors Without Borders, get life-saving nutritional supplements to severely malnourished kids in other parts of the world.

We founded WILL WORK FOR FOOD as students at the University of Michigan in 2007 and most of our initiative is still student-led which allows us to stay fresh, innovative, and accessible. In the past year we have been recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative for Universities and selected as an International Semi-Finalist in the Dell Social Innovation Competition. We’re currently launching at over 25 high schools and colleges around the country.

What  inspired you to take action and create WILL WORK FOR FOOD?

Motivation for the WILL WORK FOR FOOD initiative came from hearing President Clinton speak at the University of Michigan a couple of years back. He talked about how our world is unequal and unstable and how our generation is facing daunting challenges like fighting infectious diseases, malnutrition and poverty.

President Clinton acknowledged that these issues are unsettling, but he also provided a spark of inspiration by recognizing that with how connected the world is today through the media and internet, our generation has a greater potential to solve these matters by being “21st century global citizens.” Citizens that not just help others in our own communities but also commit to providing relief to those in need around the world.

So, we decided to design an organization that allowed people to better their own communities while also recognizing and helping an international crisis at the same time.

What are you hoping to achieve?

Every year, malnutrition kills 5 million children around the world- that’s one every six seconds. We are hoping to save these kids.

Realizing that our lives are removed from the daily happenings of these severely malnourished children, WILL WORK FOR FOOD gives people an opportunity to help their own communities (something we’re all more familiar with) while raising relief funds to save these malnourished kids.

We hope that people will realize that “we’re all in this together” and that we can now save a malnourished child in Darfur while bettering our own community at the same time.

How are you using social media to promote your cause? What has been most effective for you?
WILL WORK FOR FOOD is based online at our website www.willworkforfood.org. On the site, participants (we call them “workers”) have a profile where they list their community service, write about why they’re involved, and track how much money they have raised. Workers can also join groups with other workers from the same club, team or school.

The site also allows workers to send an email (with a link to their profile in it) to friends and family asking that they sponsor the community service work being done. Sponsors can see workers’ profiles and then decide which volunteer work to sponsor with a donation.

Given that the website is such an important element to our initiative, we are always looking for ways to expand the reach of our social media and online presence. We utilize our Facebook fan page, blog and Twitter to keep our supporters in the loop while continuously reaching out and engaging new people. We were also awarded a Google AdWords grant for the equivalent of $10,000 per month in online advertising which has also helped us drive up traffic to our site and increase involvement.

There hasn’t been one tool that has been the absolute most effective. We’ve found that they all compliment one another and are far more effective when used together.

What’s the most important thing you want someone to know about Will Work for Food?
Our world is more connected and we are all more interdependent than ever before. With living in these exciting times comes an obligation to recognize and help those in need.

Willworkforfood.org allows you to volunteer in your own community while saving a severely malnourished child on the other side of the world at the same time. It doesn’t take a hero, all you need is the internet and a matter of minutes to get involved.

Call to Action: How can people get involved?
Visit Willworkforfood.org today. Commit to volunteering in your community (we give you some volunteer ideas) and then ask friends and family to sponsor this work with a donation. In literally five minutes you will be on your way to helping your community while saving severely malnourished kids abroad.

If you’d prefer to make a donation to sponsor the community service of someone already involved, visit the donation page.

Craig Alberino with organizers Nate, Matt and Kat

Social Change Camp NYC 2009 brought together social change agents to discuss the future of non-profits and social media for social good.  Attendees gathered at NYU’s Woolworth Building, and engaged in dynamic conversations with thought leaders.

This was one of the best social change events I attended in 2009 because of the way it was organized, and the people who attended it.  If you have any interest in social change, I suggest attending the next Social Change Camp.

Social Change Camp NYC 2009 from Nicole D’Alonzo on Vimeo.

Members Milica, Pat, and Zazel at BCMeetUP Brunch

After Pat Harmon was diagnosed with brain cancer, he and George Haines created BCMeetUp as a support group for cancer fighters.  Pat is 29 and works as a permanent substitute teacher and football coach at Smithtown East High School.

BCMeetUp utilizes social media to offer new connections, and support to those affected by cancer.  The group offers members camaraderie without confining attendees to a stodgy hall or impersonal facility.  They convene in chill locations that people would patronize anyway, except now they can relax in the company of other people who get it.  People who understand what they are fighting.

George discussed the origin of the group, and extends a welcome to cancer fighters, survivors and friends.  Rock on, guys.

What is BCMeetUp?

We are not a charity- do not raise money. We are a meet-up group designed to provide social interaction and informal peer-to-peer support for cancer fighters. I do not have cancer, our co-founder Patrick Harmon does. He has brain cancer and has been fighting for 3 years and 5 brain surgeries.

What inspired you to take action and create this group?

Pat came over this summer and told me the bad news that he went to visit the doctor and his tumor had grown back. He needed that 5th surgery. We discussed support groups. I went with him to a support group at a local library and it was good for him, he was happy to be able to connect, but he wanted more. There were only a few people there and it was pretty somber. We asked a few people to go out for a drink at a local bar (even though they can’t drink alcohol during treatment, we still got soda and bar food).

It was a much more relaxed atmosphere and we talked about cancer, treatment, etc. but also the Yankees, our families, our plans, our jobs, just like a normal social situation.

Pat and I decided to try to recreate that environment for people- social events both big and small. The focus is on Brain Cancer, but we invite any cancer fighters and survivors to join us.

What are you hoping to achieve with the group?

We just want people to be able to connect, create friendships, exchange phone numbers, e-mails, whatever. Make it sort of support 2.0. We are hoping to get a few dozen people in the group because it is always hard to get everyone together on the same dates, but we are hoping to have small monthly or bi-monthly meet ups- like brunch, bowling, watching football, going to dinner, movies, etc. Small. We had a big launch party at the Roger Smith on November 7th, but those events will be few and far between. Maybe one bigger one this summer like a BBQ or something

Members can connect, make friends and be with people that they share a common bond with. Our group can be good for support, but also an escape to get away from the pills and bills of the weekly routine.

What’s the most important thing you want someone to know about BCMeetUp?

We want any cancer fighters, (especially brain cancer) to know that we want to hang out with them.

How are you using social media to promote your cause?  What has been most effective for you?

I started the @BCMeetUp twitter account to connect with anyone and everyone in the NY area. Everyone knows someone with cancer and if people connect with me and we become friends, maybe we will come to mind when they talk to a friend or family member who is fighting cancer. It is a struggle because our cause is sort of dark and depressing, but my goal is to be myself- 100% authentic George and let people know that when someone with cancer hangs with us, they will be able to laugh, joke and have fun, but also be comfortable and safe and able to open up and cry if they want.  We’re fun but we’re sweet too.

GratiTuesday thanks to Tracy Paye a.k.a. Miss-Organized (@missorganized)!  Tracy is the ‘Woman on a Mission’ who is helping women all over the country take control of their lives through organization.  Tracy offers clients actionable advice, and lasting results.

I approached Tracy with questions about re-organizing my overflowing home office, and divulged  frustrations I was having, including a hectic schedule with little time to address the issue.  I was hesitant to ask for help in this regard, but Tracy was very understanding.  I sent her a video of my workspace, and she immediately assessed my dilemma.  She explained that I needed to implement systems to keep myself organized.

Tracy’s first action item for me was to clear out my workspace.  She explained that not having clear space makes you feel stressed.  Tracy structured the organization process into manageable blocks of time, and achievable goals.  The end result was a completely revamped workspace, which has empowered me to take on more projects and achieve more of my professional goals.

Just speaking and emailing with Tracy was cathartic right from the beginning.  Tracy stated, “The reason it feels cathartic is because you are taking action.  Taking action on areas of your life that are impacting your quality of living brings a peaceful feeling with it.”

After going through the organization process with Tracy, my only regret is waiting so long to ask for assistance.  Having a systematically organized workspace is invaluable, and extends well beyond what you see on your desktop!

Thanks, Tracy!

Craig Alberino leads a discussion at Social Change Camp on cause marketing.  Craig is the founder of ActiveCause, a social giving network.  Follow Craig on Twitter and learn more about his social good project.

Cause Marketing Discussion at Social Change Camp from Nicole D’Alonzo on Vimeo.

Pete Cashmore of Mashable combines social media and social good in the Summer of Social Good initiative.  He discusses the philanthropic project, gives some social media tips, and comments on what it’s like being the CEO of one of Technorati’s Top Ten Blogs.

Follow Mashable on Twitter.

Social Media and Social Good with Pete Cashmore from Nicole D'Alonzo on Vimeo.

In honor of my first #GratiTuesday post, I want to say thank you and show appreciation for Danny     Brown (@dannybrown), the first person who welcomed me into the Twitter community.

Danny, the driving force behind the thriving #12for12k community, inspires a multitude of people to give and get involved, and he’s taught me the fundamentals of social media for social good.  He inspired me from our first conversation, and continues to do so with his relentless philanthropic endeavors.

While I was on a deadline around 1 a.m. earlier this year, I, naturally was on Twitter instead, and noticed my Twitter stream flooded with the 12for12k hashtag.  I was curious so I followed the tag, and surfed through the website.  I saw that a friend was also tweeting the hashtag, and felt secure to chip-in for a donation.  I thought for a second about what I could possibly contribute.  It occurred to me that I didn’t really need those new running shoes, and maybe I’d donate the money instead of feeding it back into my overflowing closet.

At 1 a.m. this seemed like a great plan, and allowed me to avoid my writing duties for a few more minutes.  We all hear the cliches about ‘every little bit’ making a difference, and it’s hard to imagine that your dollar changes a life.  But, Danny validated that my donation mattered in a personal thank you, and explained exactly what it meant to him and the charity.  It was at that moment that he created a brand ambassador.

Every week I learn more about social media, public relations, and marketing from Danny’s blog.  It rocks.  Much like Danny himself.

Danny is one to follow.  He engages authentically and genuinely cares about his community.  Also, he understands the power of ‘thank you.’