Who would have imagined that innocuous Tweet would unleash a veritable tsunami of social good?
It was 10:30pm on January 7, 2010. I had just finished a haunting Pinot and was feeling grateful for my health, my family, my life. In a Tweet, I asked for your suggestions on worthy nonprofits.
Within minutes, it let loose a deluge from Twitter’s most passionate and caring souls…you! (Some of the stories under “Comments” below will take your breath away. I saw the good of the donations, but the stories — your stories — have forged this blog into a worldwide community of social good!)
For the past two years, I have channeled my energy and efforts into CARE (an organization I love). But, I thought it would be good spread that love wider. After all, there are so many honorable, yet unheralded, causes out there. So, I put it to those I love most in the social media world: our followers on Twitter.
@savetheorang Tweeted: “How can you possibly choose from so many causes in need?! How about to the one that makes your own heart swell?”
They all make my heart swell! So, I decided to donate to them all…on behalf of each of you! Who says we can’t change the world one Tweet at a time? Who says we can’t move mountains?
Until Jan. 12, I am going to donate $250 to every cause that you suggest. Individually $250 not be much, but in aggregate, we can do a lot of good here! (After Jan. 12, please continue posting your stories and causes; we will donate to select causes — and we are getting tens of thousands of visits a week now. Posting here will help you generate awareness.)
As an aside, I have to something funny to share: In the first hour of my Tweet, we received five comments (and five causes) and I thought: “Hey, this is great! Five terrific causes. $1,250 well spent! What a day! Woo! Going to bed…” Then, five became ten. Ten swelled to 20. The tsunami of social good kept coming: 30, 50, 70, 100! In the first 12 hours! A feeling of gratitude — and fear — swept over me when I did the math (“Ok, 100 causes x $250. That’s $2,500. Wait, no, that’s…$25,000! In 12 hours! Honey, I may have led the genie out of the bottle! It’s good genie, but she’s out of the bottle!”
Is this going to cost more than I had envisioned? Yes. Am I happy about that? You bet. Is it a phenomenal way to create a global community of social good? Absolutely.
HOW TO DO GOOD
1. Choose the one cause that makes your heart ache and your blood boil.
2. Click {Comments} below and add your cause. Explain why you chose that organization, tell your story — and please include a link to their website. You can even embed a YouTube video which I strongly suggest since it will bring your cause to life. Also, please add your Twitter handle, so that everyone here can follow everyone else.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead said it. We are living it. Imagine: A single Tweet of 140 characters. And within 24 hours, we reached 20 million people and raised $25,000+ for your causes. And we are just getting started.
There are countless precious souls who feel like the world has left them behind. Many have lost hope. Through your actions, you are renewing their hope. There is no greater gift you can give.
I love you for that. And, I thank you for that.
E.
{ 4 trackbacks }
{ 204 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Eric this is amazing!! You are an inspiration!
I wanted to tell you about ALYN Hospital – Israel's premier comprehensive rehabilitation center for physically disabled children, adolescents and young adults.
ALYN was recently featured on the cover of The New York Times (Check out the story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/world/middleeas... The story of Marya and Orel – two unlikely friends who have bonded at ALYN is incredible. But even more than the unlikely friendship is the bond between the families who were able to overcome their differences for a common goal.
We hardly ever hear a story about peace in the Middle East, but these children at ALYN Hospital truly are heroes among us. They are just ordinary kids who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As a result, their lives were forever changed. And because of their incredible story of peace and hope – other lives can be changed for the better because Orel and Marya show us that peace not only can exist in the Middle East, but it already does…at ALYN Hospital.
Feel free to follow us on twitter @ALYNHospital. I hope that you will consider donating and/or spreading the world about this amazing place!
I dont know if this counts but I have started a project called "500 for Change."
This project focuses on local NPO's which lack the ability to have a video professionally produced and shared across the internet. For every 500 facebook users who join the fan page I will create a video for a local non-profit. The video will be shared with the fans, and they will then spread the word via their networks.
http://www.rafikiwilliams.com/500forchange.html
if you think its a worthy cause, I wouldnt mind some support to get it off the ground!
Hello Ben,
If it comes from the heart (which it does) — and you are making the world a better place (which you are), then it certainly counts!
Count me in for $250!
All the best, my friend!
E.
Thank you Eric. It really means a lot. It gives me a new boost of enthusiasm to keep pressing forward. It's easy to get the feeling as if you are in this alone. It's awesome to see so many other people trying to make a difference.
Once again, thank you.
-Ben Williams
@benjiraf
Ben–You are never alone. Look at this blog. Read the comments. You have hundreds of people behind you. We can only do so much alone. Together, we can move mountains.
Thank YOU, my friend. I will make the donation over the next couple of weeks as I come up for air from everything.
Much love, my friend!
E.
Dear Eric,
Thank you! Many lives will be touched by your generosity! My name is Carie and I am taking part in Team In Training, enabling me to complete my first-ever half marathon! I am not a runner by any means, this will be the first race and all of it benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society which is dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing patient aid. There are many people in my life who have battled some form of cancer. Recently, my friend’s oldest brother was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He is only 29 years old and has a beautiful wife and son. It breaks my heart to see what he has to go through to fight just to stay alive. More than 823,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. I am hoping that my participation in Team In Training will help bring them some kind of hope and support.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/roses10/cbehew
Thank you for such a wonderful gift!
Hello Carie! This is such a beautiful, pure, heartfelt post. I read it to my 6-year-old daughter, Vivienne, to show her that we can each make a difference in our own way — if we CHOOSE to do something. You are bettering your body as you better our world. I have such immense respect for you. And the least I can do is honor your commitment by donating $250 and telling the world about you!
I will be making all of the donations over the next few weeks. In the meantime, everyone, please consider supporting Carie in her worthy quest. 823,000 Americans. That is far too many. Let's make that zero Americans in our lifetimes.
I'm with you every step of the way, Carie!
SO much love!
E.
PS – And thank you for posting the video! It really bring it to life!
Here is a video of my cause as well!
[youtube k2yu_26wnus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2yu_26wnus youtube]
Thank you again!
Hi Eric. My name is Marjie and I am the Founder and Executive Director of the Disabled Online Users Association (DOUA). We teach people with all types of disabilities how to use the interent to earn a living. We have over 2000 people currently in our program. Our services are free – always. Check us out at http://www.doua.org and thanks for what your doing for so many. Our Twitter account is DOUA Marjie.
Hi Eric,
I have already posted a project but given the disastrous events this week I feel compelled to add another. Partners in Health do amazing work in Haiti and they could certainly use every dolar right now to assist the victims of the earthquake.
http://www.pih.org/
I urge everyone to give something to this appeal. Every bit counts!
Blessings,
Lauren
Hello Lauren:
Thank you so much. I love that you posted this. In the interest of immediate need, I have made a $250 to Partners in Health! I urge everyone to consider “Standing with Haiti” and visting http://www.pih.org.
“Whatever America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first come to pass in the heart of America.” To me, that means the depth of good we can do in Haiti depends greatly on each of us. We must engage, speak up, give and not relent until this crisis subsides. Then, we must help them rebuild their country.
Lauren, you are wonderful. Thank you!
Much love!
E.
Hey Eric…
I'm with Lauren. I have already posted, but please redirect my $250 to Haiti relief efforts. Your choice of organization (Doctors Without Borders? Red Cross? Salvation Army? Wherever it helps most?). Thank you for all that you do. Inspiring. Motivating. Deeply moving.
Much love-
-i.
Hello Inessa–You are an amazing, wonderful woman. I will do that. I am so touched by your passion, and more by your desire to ACT and to be part of the solution, now, on the ground. If people had 1/10th of what you have, if we could bottle that up, this world would be a very different place. You are a treasure.
I will donate $250 to CARE on your behalf. They are on the ground and working SO effectively at bringing huge relief to Haiti.
Much love,
E.
I just have to say it again: what an amazing woman you are! I believe the quality of our lives is largely determined by the quality of the people *in* our lives. My life is significantly elevated knowing you, Inessa. Thank you again!
MUCH love!
E.
Thank you, Eric! To have you (someone who is so amazing himself) say such kind words about me, is breathtaking. Thank you again and again.
xox-
-i.
Hey Eric…
I'm with Lauren. I have already posted, but please redirect my $250 to Haiti relief efforts. Your choice of organization (Doctors Without Borders? Red Cross? Salvation Army? Wherever it helps most?). Thank you for all that you do. Inspiring. Motivating. Deeply moving.
Much love-
-i.
So many great causes, and so many important needs! I support Operation Gratitude, a non-proft 501c3 organization that sends care packages to deployed U.S. service members — over 500,000 sent since the charity began in founder Carolyn Blashek's Encino, CA living room!
Now Operation Gratitude works out of a National Guard armory…ALL the items in the care packages are donated and the organization is run entirely by volunteers — not a single person is paid a salary, so donations go directly towards paying for the care package shipping costs, about $11 per package.
http://www.youtube.com/user/OpGrat#p/u/2/6C7u2d6g...
I've been involved for about five years now. It has been an honor and a privilege to participate in giving back a portion of thanks towards a debt that cannot ever be fully repaid — our troops, vets and their families give so much to our country and the world, I am happy to join in and tell them "THANK YOU!"
Beautiful, Ann! I love how passionate you are about this very worthy and noble cause. When I return from Haiti, I will go one-by-one through all of these causes and I will make the $250 donation to each. I thank you for taking the time to make a DIFFERENCE in this world. We need more like you.
Much love, Ann.
E.
For privacy reasons, could you please, please delete all my comments? Thanks in advance!
Hi Eric,
I think your selfless humanitarian acts of generosity are incredible. I recently started following your blog and wish I were able to give back in the same magnitude as you do.
Realizing that I cannot, I actively participate in charities and am a triathlete as well. I will be competing in my first Ironman in just 46 days in Lake Taupo, New Zealand. What a place to do it, from all I've read and heard! Traveling all the way from Texas, I think it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and experience.
In an effort to give back to the host country and community, I decided to support the sponsored charity, Cystic Fibrosis. Little did I know when doing so, that my training has turned into an inspirational journey, after being "buddied" up with 3 year old Tayler Payne, a boy from Auckland diagnosed with CF. I've learned a tremendous amount about the most prevalent disease in their country which is a terrible one. The average life expectancy of someone with CF is 29. Raising money and awareness is the least I can do to try to increase the quality and extend the longevity of the life of someone with CF.
I can't wait for the opportunity to meet Tayler and his whole family when I travel to New Zealand a week before the race! It will make my first Ironman experience that much more special… and I know at times of physical and mental anguish, thinking about how blessed I am compared to those less fortunate will give me the energy to overcome adversity.
I thought you'd might like to check out my fundraising page. I have no minimum goal to hit, rather have simply received generous support from family, friends and coworkers. Every dollar helps in every cause.
http://www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/WilliamGeiger/
All the Best to you and your continued support.
Will
[youtube W8l249bM0FE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8l249bM0FE youtube]
Hey Will! You are my new hero. I love that you took on Ironman (no small feat, my friend!). Taking on this cause will add so much passion and purpose to the event. The tears are sure to flow at the finish! You can count on my support! (And my coach is Tim Deboom, who won Ironman New Zealand a while back. I'll see if he'll post some tips here for you!)
In the meantime, once I return from Haiti, count on my donation. And, everyone, please consider contributing to Will's incredible quest! We'll be with you every step of the way over the 140.6!
All the best, IronWill!
E.
Eric,
Thank you very much for your response, support, and not only your words of inspiration, but also your actions, which inspire all.
Please do feel free to provide any input you think would be beneficial on your Ironman experience or Tim’s thoughts on New Zealand.
I hope things in Haiti are going as well as they can under the cirumstances. You and everyone there are in my thoughts and prayers.
Best,
Will
Hi Eric,
Last fall I ran my first half marathon in honor of my Dad who passed away January 2008 and raised money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I have decided to continue my mission to fight cancer and run the San Diego full marathon this summer with Team in Training.
My father truly inspired me to give back to my community as he had his whole life. This is my way of honoring his memory, healing from his loss and helping others who need my support.
I get to help make a difference, I get to help do something BIG. I could use your support to get the word out and advance LLS’s mission. We are all affected by cancer somehow or the other. Please help me to fight this disease one mile at a time.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/md/rnr10/hkness
God Bless,
Heather
@hunterkn
Hey Eric,
My name is Karissa Brink and we actually were in contact with each other in early January. I'm raising money for Lymphoma and Leukemia society and my race day is coming up!
I'm happy to report that the man I'm running for, my father, is in remission as of right now, so that's fantastic news! This run is a tribute to him because he's my hero and is such a strong man! If he can battle cancer I think I can handle running 13.1 miles! I recall you said you'd donate 250.00 to my cause? Well the last day you can donate would be tomorrow. Here is my link http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/roses10/kbrink... Thanks for everything that you do!
Karissa
← Previous Comments