S p ring 11 - Meeting Professionals International Chicago Area ...
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Giving Back<br />
By Alisa<br />
Peters, CMP, CMM<br />
Experient, Inc.<br />
With sp<strong>ring</strong>… sprouts hope and renewal. The holidays aren’t the only time for giving. Be generous in spirit and action,<br />
my friends. Here are a few electronic ways to give back.<br />
The Charity Navigator<br />
This site evaluates the financial health of America’s 5,500 largest charities and provides a full “background<br />
check” on any prospective organization readers are conside<strong>ring</strong> giving time or financial resources. It<br />
offers ratings, full financials, historical data, news, contact details and leadership information. People<br />
can donate directly from the Charity Navigator site or link to it from this website.<br />
www.CharityNavigator.org<br />
Causeworld – The App!<br />
Finding yourself strangely addicted to FourSquare or Gowalla? Try CauseWorld, a free app for iPhones<br />
and Android devices allowing users to “check in for charity.” Earn “karma points” for checking into<br />
various locations. Points are stored up until the user has enough to donate to a charity of one’s choosing;<br />
after the donation has been made, the user receives a badge. The Red Cross, Humane Association,<br />
Feeding America, Heroes at Home, LiveStrong, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Prevent Child<br />
Abuse America and Room to Read are just a few of the chairities that benefit from this app.<br />
www.itunes.com<br />
Taproot Foundation – Do It Pro Bono<br />
Taproot created a pool of individuals that sign up to volunteer their professional expertise in marketing,<br />
human resources, technology, strategy or design to strengthen their communities. People with these<br />
skills can apply online allowing charitable organizations to connect and use their services. Create a<br />
win-win outcome!<br />
www.taprootfoundation.org<br />
idealist.org<br />
This site allows users to search for volunteer opportunities and events to get involved, provides<br />
options and resource centers and allows them to connect with organizations they support to keep<br />
up with current activities. It has a social-networking connection that allows users to interact with<br />
likeminded people around the world, providing a platform to start one’s own organization for giving.<br />
Already involved with a group? Post your events and resources to connect with other members. There<br />
is an extensive job and internship board for those interested in ente<strong>ring</strong> the nonprofit world. These<br />
connections allow people to get their names out to organizations they want to get paid to support!<br />
www.idealist.org<br />
KIVA<br />
KIVA empowers an individual to lend to an entrepreneur globally. This platform, a fabulous mix of<br />
microfinance and the power of the World Wide Web, has allowed KIVA to create a global community<br />
of people connected through lending. It was built on the concept that people are by nature generous,<br />
and will help others if given the opportunity in a transparent and accountable manner. It also shows<br />
that those with fewer resources are highly motivated and can be very successful when given the<br />
opportunity. KIVA believes that by connecting people, relationships can be created that are beyond<br />
financial transactions, building a global community that expresses support and encouragement of one<br />
another. Sound familiar?<br />
www.kiva.org<br />
6 news & views | sp<strong>ring</strong> 20<strong>11</strong> www.mpicac.org
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