Microcharities
Alan of Command Post writes to announce a new venture in "open source charity," to identify "simple, personal, non-bureaucratic, and...inspiring" causes and use blogs to solicit contributions. Here's the background:
This past May, I made an open call at The Command Post to counter the evil of Nick Berg's murder by strengthening the good of Susan Tom and her kids. It was an easy promise to make--we would donate any funds deposited in our PayPal account over a 48 hour period to the Tom Family Education Trust--and I never really thought we'd meet the $10,000 goal. Indeed, I had been casually planning my "well, we gave it a good show and at least we helped" post literally from the moment I made the initial request. People are, I thought, just too often asked to contribute to charity, from their United Way Drive at work to the CF candy bar drive at their door to their church tithe.
It was an easy promise to make, and I never really thought we'd meet the $10,000 goal. Indeed, I had been casually planning my "well, we gave it a good show and at least we helped" post literally from the moment I made the initial request. People are, I thought, just too often asked to contribute to charity, from their United Way Drive at work to the CF candy bar drive at their door to their church tithe.
But people DID respond, and not only did we meet the $10,000 goal — we did far better, raising $15,000 in less than three days for the education of the Tom children.
From reading the comments and emails I received, it wasn't just the idea of countering evil by helping good that attracted people to Susan Tom and compelled those people to give. For many, it was just reading her story and hearing about something noble and caring in this difficult world. It was about having a break from constant reminders of death and terror and crime. And for many, it was the chance to help in a way that was immediate, simple, and very, very personal. The chance to give to something they could trust ... something with a face where they knew their impact would be felt, even if they only gave $1. The chance to actually make a difference.
I think there are many, many such chances in the world. I also think the sentiment to read about something good and strong, and to have the opportunity to make a difference if one so chooses, runs very deep.
And so, in late May I had an idea, and now I have a proposition.
With The Command Post, people from all walks of life and from all points of the world--over 120 bloggers in all--came together to create something wholly new: decentralized journalism. And while the Post isn't the day-to-day bandwidth hog she was during the run to Baghdad, her power is in her network, and the model still works: when news happens...be it the 2003 Northeast Blackout, the New Hampshire Primary, or Hurricane Charley, our contributors know where to post, and people all over the world log in to get the story from multiple sources in real time.
It's proof not just of the power of the Web. It's proof of the power inherent in the global network of blogs, and in the end, of the power of people within that network to create something greater than the sum through individual but coordinated action.
Now I think it's time to extend that power to something good...to make the leap from decentralized journalism to decentralized charity.
Here's the idea: Create a network of bloggers who raise awareness of "micro charities"--charitable opportunities that are simple, personal, non-bureaucratic, and, like Susan Tom, inspiring. Charitable opportunities where someone can feel great about giving $1, or even just from reading the story of the charity, its sponsors, and its beneficiaries....
So here's the proposition: I'll find them, if you'll link to them.
Last May I registered the domain www.strengthenthegood.com, which now is the home for a blog of the same name. (It's a placeholder design for now while Sekimori works her magic.) Every third Sunday night I'll post about a "Susan Tom-esque? micro-charity. I'll find them, I'll qualify them, and I'll post their story with enough detail that people can qualify them for themselves, and feel good (or even inspired) by what the charity stands for and who it benefits.
I'll be participating in this innovative effort and am interested in hearing about any causes that may fit the bill.