Social Media for the Social Good
In the past month or so, I (as well as the rest of America) have been bombarded with devastating news coverage of the tornados tearing up homes across the country. While the storms have somehow avoided my old, college-student-inhabited house (that, without doubt, would be torn up by the slightest of winds), I got to thinking about the families that were left with nothing. I saw news coverage highlighting strangers helping those affected by the storms, whether they were helping to rummage through debris or donating food to local shelters.
There is a new way to help too, powered solely by social media. A science teacher from my old high school had her entire house wiped out. Her students rallied together, created a Facebook page and started a movement in the community to raise money and supplies to help. Mashable posted this article listing ways to help tornado victims a few weeks ago, with the last item directing people to “post found items to Facebook.” After a tornado hit Missouri this past Sunday, Relief Spark (@reliefsparknola), a non-profit focused on remodeling schools, has begun using their Twitter feed to gather volunteers for relief and update victims on shelter locations.
Social media for social good does not stop there. The American Red Cross launched one of the many non-profit and charity campaigns to fundraise for earthquake and tsunami relief in Haiti and Japan earlier this year. The Red Cross Causes campaign encouraged people to donate via Facebook to help victims of the disaster. Their text message campaign raised millions of dollars for relief and they have social media to thank for spreading the word. Social media provides the perfect platform for these campaigns to go viral and for people to respond.
So, for all of you social media junkies out there, think about donating some of your online presence to charity. It is quick and easy, and you do not even have to put down your laptop or smart phone to contribute.
What to know more? Mashable is a great source to stay informed about all the social media campaigns out there that exist solely for the social good. Check it out here.
