Blogging for Dollars
The Internet has already revolutionized fundraising in everything from political campaigns to disaster relief. The convenience of charitable contributions available at the push of a button has motivated many not only to give to great causes but to take an active role in the fundraising. The power of social media has inspired some of the more influential bloggers to turn to their readership to give thousands to some terrific organizations.
Last year Sarah Bunting, noted television writer and blogger at the popular Tomato Nation blog, raised thousands for the charity Donors Choose by offering to shave her head if her readers could raise $30,000. (They did, and Sarah shaved her head as promised–and on YouTube, no less.)
This year, she raised the call again, and was able to raise more than $100,000 for the same cause (in lieu of shaving her now regrown hair again, this time she treated readers to video of her spending the day in New York City–including subway rides, working, and raising a pint at a local pub–in a giant tomato costume, complete with a little dance in Rockefeller Center). Granted, after TelevisionWithoutPity , the site Bunting co-founded, was purchased by Bravo it’s possible she had a wider audience to work from, but her efforts prove that bloggers can harness quite a power for charity.
Yeah yeah, Wurrey, what’s the point? Right?
Well, another blogger and good friend to Blogstring, Amanda Gravel, is raising the call among her friends and readers to give to another worthy cause, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Amanda’s already raised more than her goal, why not put her even further above? After all, Sarah’s initial goal was $40,000, and her readers more than doubled that. Why not help Amanda prove the charitable power of the blogosphere as well?
Technorati Tags: Donors Choose,Sarah Bunting,Amanda Gravel,charity
Filed under: blogging, NaBloPoMo, social media