Putting Social Media to Good Use

As we all know, social media is taking over the world. It’s an amazing phenomenon and one that Malcolm Gladwell would describe as experiencing a “tipping point.” People are changing habits, relationships are being formed in new ways and we’re all looking to the internet to represent ourselves.

It reminds me of a funny quote from Drew Barrymore from “He’s just not that into you” where she notes that in order to impress someone, it’s no longer about getting your hair cut and styled, but simply, updating your Facebook profile picture.

It can get a bit extreme at times, but what I love, love, love is that NGO’s and non-profits are beginning to capitalize and utilize social media and put it to good use. Why not? If people are willing to invest the time to adapt to new forms of relationship management and communication, why not make it for the greater good?

Zemanta (along with Weber Shandwick) began the “blogging for a cause campaign” thats described as such:

A campaign to give corporate cash to the charitable causes bloggers love

All you have to do is blog about your favorite charity and spread the word. The charity most often blogged about will get a generous donation from both Zemanta and Weber Shandwick. How easy is that? We all know most people blog and a majority update their profiles, so why not take an extra second and recognize a well-deserved non-profit?

My Non-Profit of Choice:

The non-profit that I choose to highlight is Invisible Children. This organization was started to help the children  of northern Uganda find shelter, support and their families. Since the war began, almost 1.8 million children have been displaced from their homes. It has been said that some children have been displaced for almost a decade and have no guarantee to food, water, sanitation and education.

It was hard for me to choose just one organization, but what I love most about Invisible Children is how it all began. It was a grass-roots effort from three travelers who produced a documentary in 2003 about the invisible children of Uganda. From there, the organization was formed. After showcasing the documentary, young avid travelers and philanthropists have worked diligently and ruthlessly to make this situation known. Sure, funding has helped, but what’s most important is the stamina and passion these young adults possessed.

This blog post is part of Zemanta’s “<a href=”http://www.zemanta.com/bloggingforacause/”>Blogging For a Cause</a>” campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.