SeeYourImpact: A revolutionary way to help those in need around the world and next door
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I had the pleasure to chat with Shari Goetsch, Director of Digital Media Communications from SeeYourImpact. A great non-profit organization of making a difference whether you would like to contribute in a small or large scale.
Tell us more about SeeYourImpact.org, your role and your team?
SeeYourImpact.org is a non-profit that shows donors exactly who they’re helping and how. If you give a $25 home garden to a woman in Rwanda, we’ll email you the photo and story of the real person you helped in just 2 weeks. We want people to know exactly how their donation impacts a life. In fact, we’re so committed to the idea that we ensure 100% of your donation goes to the gift you selected.
We’re a start-up technology organization, which makes us a little different. Our focus is on helping effective non-profits leverage technology to show you who your donations are helping. We let you help people directly in countries all over the world. If you’re passionate about water, $10 will help build a well for a family in Cambodia. Or if you’re passionate about girls’ education, you can cover the monthly tuition of a child in India for $20.
Sometimes, it’s hard for people to believe they can make a tangible difference. My role at the organization is to help empower people to take that first step. We launched last year in September 2010. Our team of volunteers and supporters is growing quickly. Our job as a team is to make your giving experience so unforgettable that you’ll want to tell your friends.
Tell us more about SeeYourImpact and the initiatives you’re currently working on?
Currently, we’re helping people find inventive ways to make philanthropy a part of their every day lives. For example, children like Ellie are dedicating their birthdays to fundraise for people in need. Parents want to raise kids who give back, but it’s usually so hard to teach children what that ethereal concept “philanthropy” is all about. But when a child raises money, and in a matter of days, they see the face of a person they helped, suddenly giving is brought to life. And it’s not just the youngest of the citizen philanthropists who are getting involved. Businesswomen are donating their birthdays. Even couples are dedicating their wedding registries.
One mom whose children are from Ethiopia recently reached out to us. She had been watching the devastating famine in East Africa unfold on the news, and she knew she had to do something. Her adopted children could have been 2 of the many children who have died from hunger. So she launched a campaign called Ask $5 for 5 to deliver life-saving food and water. Over 700 people are already involved! It’s easy to help, and I hope you’ll consider joining us.
Where does SeeYourImpact.org work?
We have over 100 innovative gift solutions in 18 different countries. We’re in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and we’re also partnering with organizations doing powerful work here in the US.
What’s next for SeeYourImpact.org? How can corporations help make a difference?
We tailor partnerships to the vision of the organization. Some companies boost staff morale through employee campaigns. Others provide matching gifts. Still others look for ways to promote our work to their customers. In every case, we look for ways to show the results of the company’s work. Not just in contributions raised, but also by showing how people have been helped.
You’ve mentioned using technology as the means to drive this effort; what type of technologies drives this initiative?
We customize open-source technologies that receive broad developer support. We look for solutions that provide flexibility and stability, in addition to the creativity that comes with an army of free developers. We see social media as content delivery platform that connects our supporters to one another and to their Impact Stories. By using Facebook connect, we can send the updates of which the donor is helping to them through email or to Facebook. When people share their Impact Stories in their news feed, it invites their friends to get involved. And that’s a crucial part of our strategy. We know most organizations spend a lot on fundraising. But we think this is a new era. People don’t want to see organizations spending their donations on fundraising. They want to see their contributions going to work. By integrating with viral platforms, we help people share our work through word-of-mouth recommendations, and that’s the best way someone can hear about us for the first time.
How can we help spread the word?
1.Go to Seeyourimpact.org and learn more about our work.
2. Women entrepreneurs: look for a way to give back through your company! Contact us, or set up a business page.
3. Upcoming women leaders and entrepreneurs: volunteer! If you’re looking for a way to use your skills to give back, we’d love to connect you with an opportunity to change the world. Email us.
So what are you waiting for? Spread the word and make a difference today!
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