Many people are ashamed of their birthdays, ashamed of growing older. Not my mom -- she's lived a rich life and dedicated it to serving others. We're having a birthday party for her soon, and 40 or 50 friends will be there to help her celebrate. That's because she's given of herself and made deep connections in her community. Happy birthday, Mom! My mother, my father and countless others are examples of how selfless acts of community involvement provide unbelievable personal returns.
I had lunch yesterday with the Head of Cabedge himself, Chris Blanz. (That's the best job title I've ever seen!) We had a lot of fun and let a ton of ideas fly all around the room. One of the best issues we discussed was: "How can social media experts/users get involved in the philanthropy of our city?" Here's two easy ways:
1. Use social media to spread the word about non-profits. You do this all day every day about other topics, any way. For many of you, social media is your job. Find those non-profits in town that interest you, follow them, and help spread the word about their events and needs. Big fundraiser coming up? Think of how many extra people might attend all because you tweet about it. Cool People Care has a great resource that lets you follow and friend your favorite non-profits. Facebook has a Causes app to raise funds and awareness of your favorite charities, and SixDegrees.org lets you place donation links on your social networks that directs funds to the charity of your choice. Easy stuff. Big results.
2. Join the board/volunteer your skills with a non-profit. This is where face-to-face human interaction is invaluable. Here in Nashville I'm on the board of an organization that I love, where the time I spend feels like sheer fun: Conexion Americas, which serves as a bridge between the recently arriving Latino community and the community of people who have been here a while. Every non-profit needs help from social media experts to help build bridges to the people they serve and to funders, friends and decision-makers. These boards need your expertise. Choose one that interests you. Don't have any experience on a board? Then call the CEO and say you want to volunteer for a year. I promise they'll plug you in. If you're under 40, apply for the Young Leaders program, which trains you how to sit on a board. Or contact Hands On Nashville, which offers similar classes.
I had lunch yesterday with the Head of Cabedge himself, Chris Blanz. (That's the best job title I've ever seen!) We had a lot of fun and let a ton of ideas fly all around the room. One of the best issues we discussed was: "How can social media experts/users get involved in the philanthropy of our city?" Here's two easy ways:
1. Use social media to spread the word about non-profits. You do this all day every day about other topics, any way. For many of you, social media is your job. Find those non-profits in town that interest you, follow them, and help spread the word about their events and needs. Big fundraiser coming up? Think of how many extra people might attend all because you tweet about it. Cool People Care has a great resource that lets you follow and friend your favorite non-profits. Facebook has a Causes app to raise funds and awareness of your favorite charities, and SixDegrees.org lets you place donation links on your social networks that directs funds to the charity of your choice. Easy stuff. Big results.
2. Join the board/volunteer your skills with a non-profit. This is where face-to-face human interaction is invaluable. Here in Nashville I'm on the board of an organization that I love, where the time I spend feels like sheer fun: Conexion Americas, which serves as a bridge between the recently arriving Latino community and the community of people who have been here a while. Every non-profit needs help from social media experts to help build bridges to the people they serve and to funders, friends and decision-makers. These boards need your expertise. Choose one that interests you. Don't have any experience on a board? Then call the CEO and say you want to volunteer for a year. I promise they'll plug you in. If you're under 40, apply for the Young Leaders program, which trains you how to sit on a board. Or contact Hands On Nashville, which offers similar classes.
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