CNN Reports On The Salvation Army's Online Fundraising Efforts

This is an interesting video from CNN.com, I watched recently, that shows how the Salvation Army is using technology in their fundraising efforts:

Have You Heard About Crowdrise?

Here's an interesting item I ran across recently on CNN.com. It's about a site called Crowdrise. Sounds promising--what do you think?

Turn To The 'Net For Info On Helping The Victims Of The Earthquake In Chile

Just stumbled upon this article on Mashable yesterday--if you want to use the Internet to help out the victims of the Chilean earthquake but are not sure how, it'll come in handy. Here's the link:

HOW TO: Donate to Chile Earthquake Relief Online

And if you want more information about the relief efforts underway in Chile, take a look at videos posted on YouTube by the American Red Cross, like this one:

Have You Seen The "We Are The World 25 For Haiti" Video?

Here's a new video hosted on YouTube you don't want to miss:

Online Resources To Help You Help The Victims Of The Earthquake In Haiti

Here are a couple of resources I stumbled on from around the Internet that will point you in the right direction if you want to help out the victims of the earthquake in Haiti:

• Impact Your World - Special Reports from CNN.com (via CNN.com)
• Haiti Earthquake Relief: 9 Ways To Help Now (via Mashable.com)
• American Red Cross video about the earthquake (via YouTube.com):

A Unique Idea For Fighting World Hunger

Here's a great idea I ran across the other day on YouTube for fighting World Hunger. Take a look at this video and check out the accompanying Web site (The Wall Against Hunger) to learn how you can make a difference in the fight against hunger while honoring someone you love:

Ask.com Invites Consumers to Search for the Cure® in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Here's a terrific item for those of you who want to do your part in the fight against cancer but are a little tight in the budget department. Ask.com recently issued the following press release:

Ask.com Invites Consumers to Search for the Cure® in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

This is a great idea from Ask.com that won't cost you one red cent! Don't you wish more companies would do things like this?

Making A Difference Just Got Easier

Think you have to spend a lot of time and money to make a difference? Not necessarily. Sometimes you can do a lot with just a click of your mouse!

On the left sidebar, right above the Categories heading, we've just put a widget from SocialVibe that lets you support a terrific cause like Stand Up To Cancer. All you have to do is click on it!

So, wanna make a difference? What are you waiting for?

USAtogether.org Helps You Help Veterans

If you like the idea of using the Web to help out veterans in need (see: Have You Heard About The Wounded Warrior Project?"), you'll like the idea behind USAtogether.org. too. I first heard about this site in an article on CNN:


Tech gurus use power of Web to help veterans


According to the article, USAtogether.org is a new Web site where veterans list their needs--be it monetary or otherwise--in the hopes that someone--maybe you--will help. An interesting idea and yet another way the Web helps you help others in need.

Helping Others In The New Year...With A Little Help From The Web

Want to make a difference in the lives of others in the new year but not sure where to start? A new Web site called I Am The Solution aims to make it easier for you to make that important difference. From a recent press release:

The I Am The Solution initiative is challenging people to make at least one selfless resolution-to volunteer, give money, refer people to needed services, or acknowledge a personal need for help. And, because resolutions are easy to make but often difficult to keep, the initiative hinges on an interactive, online community --http://www.iam-thesolution.org/ -- where people can stay accountable by creating profiles, setting deadlines, tracking their progress and engaging with others who are making similar resolutions.

Using the power of the Web to help you help others, this one looks like a promising idea! Check out their Web site for more details.

Happy New Year!

Note: The Senior Surfer will resume on Monday, January 5, 2009.

Have You Heard About The Wounded Warrior Project?

They've done everything their country asked of them. Now, many of these brave men and women are coming home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with severe injuries they sustained in battle. If you've ever wanted to make a difference in the lives of these courageous warriors but didn't know the first step, you might be interested in a non-profit program called the Wounded Warrior Project.

The Wounded Warrior Project offers a variety of programs to assist wounded veterans in their time of need. So how can you get involved? Several ways! You can make a tax-deductible donation, host a fundraising event, help spread awareness and more. To get started, simply visit their site to learn all the details!

How To Create Your Own Fundraising Web Page Quickly And Easily

Got a cause that's dear to your heart and looking for some unique fundraising ideas to help support it? How about starting your very own fundraising page online and inviting your friends and family to check it out?

And if you've never created a Web page before, don't worry. The following sites make it simple for just about anyone to create a fundraising Web page:

• GiveMeaning - Create a fundraising page at givemeaning.com and then get the word out to everyone you know! It's a great way to organize your fundraising efforts online!

• Firstgiving - It's easy to create a personal fundraising page at firstgiving.com! Just pick your cause and get started!

Get all the details by visiting the sites and best of luck with your fundraising projects!

E-cards You'll Be Proud To Send

Does the prospect of sending out e-cards at the holidays make you cringe? Let's face it, sending an e-card just doesn't feel the same as sending a good old-fashioned Christmas card you can hold in your hands. But what if the idea behind the e-card is to help spread awareness about a good cause? Might make you reconsider, right?

Such is the case with the Make-A-Wish e-Cards that you'll find at Wish.org (read about Wish.org in a previous article). These e-cards even feature art work by some of the Make-A-Wish kids themselves, and sending one to friends and relatives is a simple way to spread the word about this terrific organization.

It's free to send an e-card, though you will have to agree to receive e-mail updates from the organization. As for selection, there are several holiday-themed cards to choose from, so you should have no trouble finding one that suits your tastes.

See, sending e-cards at the holidays can be quite an appropriate gesture after all, don't you think?

Boost Your Vocabulary And Help End World Hunger While You're At It

As Thanksgiving approaches do your thoughts turn to the plight of those less fortunate? Are you the type of person who's concerned with the worsening problem of global hunger and wish you could do more about it? Then you'll be happy to know that there's a new Web site dedicated to helping you fight global hunger with, of all things, your knowledge of vocabulary!

The site is called FreeRice.com and it works like this: You play a vocabulary game where you're shown a word and asked to select its definition from four choices. Click on the correct definition and 10 grains of rice will be donated to the United Nations Food Program! Continue playing and for every correct answer you choose, another 10 grains of rice will be donated.

By the way, if the grandkids are over this is a great online activity to share with them as well. It's free to play, you'll both improve your vocabulary, have fun doing it and help put a dent in world hunger-what's better than that?

Give And You Shall Receive

Here's a great idea this holiday season if you want to make a difference in the life of a needy child from a third world country: For a donation of $399, the Web site Laptopgiving.org will provide one laptop to a child in an impoverished part of the world-and they'll even send an additional one to you as a way of saying thanks for your generous gift.

Known as One Laptop Per Child or OLPC, the program was founded by M.I.T. Professor Nicholas Negroponte and represents an initiative to improve the educational needs of children in developing countries.

The program only runs till November 26, so hurry up and check out the site to learn more about it. If you can afford to help out in this way it's definitely worth considering and since the laptops are designed for children, the extra one you receive might even make a perfect gift for your grandkids!

Make Donations To Your Favorite Charities From One Convenient Web Site

If you're starting to warm up to the idea of charitable giving online because of the convenience, you'll love a Web site called Network for Good. They're making it even simpler to donate online by providing you the tools to search for charities, donate to them, store your donation records and more, all from one convenient Web site!

From the site:

Network for Good is the Internet's leading charitable resource, bringing together donors, volunteers and charities online to accomplish good. At www.networkforgood.org, users can donate to more than one million charities and
search from among more than 36,000 volunteer opportunities.

Especially if you want to donate to several charities online and are worried about how to keep track of all your records, you'll want to check out Network for Good. Donating online to your favorite charities has never been easier!

How To Use The Web To Help Students In Need

Imagine a Web site that makes it easy for you to find and fund projects that help needy students. That's exactly the idea behind a not-for-profit site called DonorsChoose.org.

It works like this: teachers post projects that they need funding for-projects intended to enrich the learning experience of their students. Then, you come along and visit the site to search for projects you'd like to sponsor-you can search by subject, region, or other criteria.

Find a project you like? You'll have the opportunity to fund all or part of it through a variety of payment options. What's more, after you've sponsored a project you'll even receive thank-you notes from the students who've benefited from your generosity!

Check out DonorsChoose.org to learn more about how you can make a difference by helping teachers help their students!

Get Them To ChipIn For The Cause

Have a cause that you'd like to raise money for? Perhaps a Web site like ChipIn.com can help. They provide online tools and instructions to make it easy to use the Web to promote the fundraising activities and collect money for your cause-they'll even help you set up your very own fundraising Web page!

To learn more about how ChipIn.com can help you conduct an online fundraising campaign, be sure to read their overview page. You'll find all the information you need to get started!

Do You Care2 Make A Difference?

Which of these causes are dear to your heart? The environment, civil rights, cancer awareness, animal welfare? Whatever cause you're passionate about, chances are you'll find many like-minded individuals to connect with when you join Care2.com an online community especially for people who are dedicated to making a difference in the world they live in.

Here are just some of the things you can do at Care2.com:

• Join a group or start your own
• Create free online petitions
• Learn to become more environmentally conscious
• Discover some unique ways to generate donations online

And more! Not happy with the status quo? Join Care2.com like more than 7 million people already have and start making a difference right now!

Make A Difference At Wish.org

Want to get more involved with The Make-A-Wish Foundation but not exactly sure what the first step is? They've made it easier and more convenient than ever by listing all the ways you can help right on their web site at Wish.org. To get started, just visit the site and click on Ways to Help (upper right corner of homepage)

Some of the ways you can lend a hand that are listed on the site include:

• Make an online donation
• Volunteer time and/or your talents
• Raise funds by shopping at select online retailers
  

Wish.org is the online destination for those of you who've always wanted to learn more about this terrific foundation and more importantly, explore all the ways you can help out!