They were the best of friends in the long running TV show Friends, and they are really close friends in real life as well. I am sure you know the people I am talking about – Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox. These girls have taken their friendship to great lengths, and now, they are getting together to extend a helping hand to some women who need it the most.
The friends are currently busy with a project which is aimed at empowering women in Congo. More than giving their verbal and public support, Aniston and Cox are actually spending time to help the cause out. One activity they engaged in was to take part in a dinner which helped raised awareness for their charity. They were joined by Sheryl Crow. The friends are now working on catching the attention of Senator Hilary Clinton.
The organization is called OmiPeace, which is actually a humanitarian fashion brand, and is run by Mary Fanaro, another friend (not a TV “Friend,” as I am sure you know). Courtney Cox is really passionate about what they’re doing. It was quite touching to read what she said: “OmniPeace was created to give back. I can’t think of a better way to support my best friend and all the work that she and OmniPeace do to donate to causes supporting peace, education, human rights and the end of extreme poverty by 2025. Mary’s passion is so contagious and wonderful. It has taught me that anything is possible with enough perseverance and tenacity.”
To find out more about OmniPeace and how you can help, visit www.omnipeace.com/.
Categories: Campaigns, Charities, News, Organizations, Websites, Women | Tags: celebrity charities, Charities, Congo, Courtney Cox, Friends, Jennifer Aniston, OmniPeace, women's charities
Charities have long had to adjust to the changing landscape surrounding them. Gone are the times when even the average person gave freely to charities. There are many reasons for this, perhaps the harsh economic atmosphere worldwide being the foremost. In any case, whatever the reason, charities – especially the smaller ones – are hard pressed to find ways and means to generate more funds.
One way by which charities are adjusting is by using social media. Twitter is one of the most popular tools that charities are making use of to reach out to more people who might want to give cash, goods, and services to help those who are in need. Of course, there are other social media platforms which can be used, such as Facebook.
So how can your charity take advantage of technology in this respect? Social media platforms have a worldwide reach. By creating an account for your charity, you can expand your reach to the other side of the world without expending extra money. Maybe a little effort is needed, but the benefits far outweigh it.
Think about all the “lost” friends that have reconnected through social media. These reconnections may very well serve as potential donors. Even those who may not have heard of your charity before may very well be moved to help out your cause due to your regular tweets and updates on Facebook. The idea is to get the word out to as many as possible and nothing beats social media when it comes to that!
Categories: Tips, Websites | Tags: Facebook, Fundraising, social media, Twitter
I have always believed that technology is something that can be used for great good, and this latest development from Infospace is the perfect example. Infospace is based in Bellevue, WA, and is an Internet search provider. In line with their business, the company has launched a new search engine which focuses specifically on charities!
Dubbed Do Great Good, the web site’s URL is www. DoGreatGood.com. So how does the search engine help charities? In fact, the new search engine compiles search results from Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. Half of the revenue generated by the search engine then goes to charity.
Here’s “how it works” from the web site itself:
Like other search engines, Do Great Good makes money when you search the Web on our site. And only Do Great Good lets you support causes you care about at no cost to you by donating half of that money to charity! The more you search, the more you help. It’s that simple!
I have to admit that I am a slave to Google. I can’t even use Yahoo to search because I am not satisfied with the results. Plus, I am so used to seeing the interface of Google that it just doesn’t seem right if I don’t use it. Then again, I think I just might try using Do Great Good for a bit, if only for the charities that will benefit. Also, it might actually give me more varied results since it compiles results from several search engines.
What say you?
Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Fundraising, Websites
The average blogger I know has not made it big time like those high profile probloggers we all hear and read about. Truth be told, not everyone has goals of reaching that status; many blogger friends that I have are content with how their blogs are faring. And while they are not making big bucks with their blogs, they do find ways to spread their blessings around.
One idea a friend alerted me to is this new widget from SocialVibe, which offers bloggers a chance to help a specific charity. Bloggers who use the WordPress platform can sign up for this widget and configure it to benefit a charity. Here are the specifics from Media Post:
As a result, Wordpress bloggers can now sign up for a SocialVibe widget, choose a specific charity and corresponding brand sponsor, and then embed the ad unit in their blog to start earning micro-donations from the brand once readers interact with the sponsored units.
It’s much like ads but instead of merely earning money for your blog, the benefits go to the charity you choose. And what kind of “interaction” from the readers is needed? This part I like: people can go watch a video and rate it – that sort of thing. It is not merely clicking on a link for the sake of clicking. Another nice thing about the widget is that it keeps track of your “donations.” For example, you can see a line like “My blog has donated so and so number of books to students in need.”
Categories: Campaigns, Charities, Ideas, Organizations, Science & Tech, Websites
Have you been watching American Idol? I have to be honest and say that I got hooked this season. I had never watched this show before, as I rarely watch TV anyway. I don’t know how it came about but I remember flipping through the channels one weekend many months ago and I just somehow got stuck on Idol.
Anyhow, my favorite contender was Danny Gokey. I don’t know, but there is something about this guy that screamed “genuine!” Naturally, I did some research on him, to know more about the person. I found out that he is running a charity called Sophia’s Heart Foundation, and I thought that it would be good to give them a shout out.
Sophia is the name of Danny’s late wife, who passed away due to a heart condition. In her 27 years here on earth, she showed a passion for children, emphasizing the need to meet their needs in every aspect possible. Upon her passing, her husband Danny felt the need to continue her work, and thus the charity was born.
Today, Sophia’s Heart Foundation works alongside many other entities in order to help children ages 0 to 18. The people involved in the organization are dedicated to providing various activities and assistance to children. Some of the ways by which you can help:
-Music and arts workshops
-Scholarships
-Provide food, clothing, and shelter
-Provide medical aid to families in need.
If you are interested in helping out, visit Sophia’s Heart Foundation and find out more about them.
Categories: Charities, Children, Websites
