Social Media for Social Good 08.28.08
August 27, 2008 by Connie Reece
Austin Social Media Club is once again partnering with 501 Tech Club of Austin to enlist Twitter users in a community project. This time the beneficiary is the Capital Area Food Bank and the event is a HAM-up (September is Hunger Action Month). Tyson Foods issued a challenge on their Hunger Relief blog, offering to donate 100 pounds of protein for every comment posted, up to a full 35,000-pound truck load. Organizers were floored when the truck was filled in just six hours; comments topped out at over 600.
Beth Kanter challenged the 250 attendees at Gnomedex to raise $2,500 before the end of the two-day conference in order to send Cambodian student Leng Sopharath to college for her junior year. With Twitter working as the back channel, word of the fund-raising project spread far beyond the conference center in Seattle. At the 90-minute mark the fund had surpassed the goal; the final total raised was $3,774. The additional money will no doubt be put to good use in another one of Beth’s projects for Cambodian children.
thanks for the kind words Connie - and one thing - it was fun too.
In September (just around the corner), I’m want to blog and help raise some money for hunger relief. I’m going to connect it to a weight loss challenge (weight watchers is doing something where they will donate $1 for a hunger organization for every pound people loose). But I want to amplify it … anyway stay tuned.
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