Social Media for Social Change on Livejournal

hello friends,
i am looking for good people with good twittering skills hehe no really im new to twitter and looking for friends to follow and to be followed, i also have other web 2.0 apps like digg youtube flickr so please take a look and adddddddd meeeeeeeee :) xoxoxoxo

The first Social Media for Social Change event is happening this Friday. I wanted to take a moment to give you more information on what to expect.

Itinerary:
SM4SC starts at 6:30. There will be a cocktail reception until 8:00, at which point we’ll hear from Empressr, our Presenting Sponsor. Then I’ll say a few words, followed by a representative from Jane Doe Inc, the charitable organization for which we’re raising funds. After that, we’ll begin our raffle drawings.

After SM4SC, we’re headed out for TechKaraoke. Details on that to follow.

Raffle Items:
Matt Knell already did a great writeup on the SM4SC blog about the raffle items that are up for grabs. Be sure to read up on the details of the prizes, as well as the price of the raffles. Here’s what’s up for grabs:

Grand Prize - A laptop with a value up to $1500, donated by Dell Small Business!

First Prize - 2 roundtrip flights on a major airline that flies out of Boston

Second Prize - Digital Visibility Audit & Action Plan™, donated by David Petherick, Digital Biographer

Third prize - A selection of bags, donated by Timbuk2

Other prizes

• Wine and swag from Gary Vaynerchuk and Winelibrary.tv (you obviously must be over 21 years of age to win this one!)


• A prize pack from the MTV Shop, featuring some DVDs, toys and other goodies


• A prize pack from Hertz, with some coupons and some other swag

Dress Code:
There have been a lot of questions lately about how people should dress. Previously, I said “semi-formal” was the way to go. That’s a very broad term, so we ask you to ask yourself the question:

( What would Scott Monty wear? )

Basically, this means you don’t need a tux, but dress nicer than you do for work. Unless you’re an investment banker, then come in your work clothes.

Ladies, you were born with an innate sense of style that us men will never know. Meg Fowler recommends that you think on these three names:

• Audrey Hepburn


• Sophia Loren


• You, on your best day ever

Thanks, I look forward to seeing you all on Friday!



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After finally confirming our count of tickets assigned to media and our sponsors, we calculated that there were about 105 people coming to the first Social Media for Social Change event this Friday.

However, because we want to raise as much money for Jane Doe Inc as possible, and because we know that the Massachusetts room can fit 120 comfortably, Dmitri and I decided it was a good idea to release that previously reserved batch of 15 tickets. We also decided it was best if we kept the price, $25 per ticket, the same as the second round of tickets.

And just like that, the tickets were selling - 6 of them have sold in the last three hours. That means only 9 tickets are left. You can purchase your tickets at http://sm4sc.eventbrite.com/.

As always, I’m impressed and thankful for the support you all have given to SM4SC.

See you on Friday!



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Congrats Aaron White and DoInk.com for winning the SM4SC donation song contest-turned Twitter auction (#songforsm4sc). He won with a $90 bid! Thank you Aaron for your awesome generosity. Without further ado, here’s your song!

( Youtube Video and Lyrics )

For the last few days, we’ve watched a lot of amazing things happen to SM4SC:

• The second batch of 25 tickets have sold out! This, of course, means the event has sold completely out. Thank you to all of you guys for making that possible.We’ve just released the FINAL batch of 15 tickets. Get them here!


• We’ve had some great last minute donations and sponsorships. In what was one of the first Twitter auctions (Twauctions? I’ll save that one for later ) Aaron White bid $90 to have Rebecca Corliss write him a song about his company, Do Ink. The video, of course, will be posted here when we have it ready.


• We’re getting an amazing event night volunteer response. If you’d like to volunteer on event night, please email us at volunteers[at]sm4sc[dot]com.


• We can talk about our event night raffle! And this is what this post is about.

( Raffle Prizes )

The raffle tickets will be $10 each, or $15 for blocks of 2 tickets (2 for $15, 4 for $30, 6 for $45, and so on), and will be on sale during the night of the event ONLY. Winner MUST be present to collect their prize, so we encourage all attendees to hang out until the raffle is over!</p>

All proceeds from the auction will go directly to Jane Doe, Inc. Tickets will not be tax-deductible, but you’ll have a really good shot of winning, and you’ll know your contribution is going to a great cause. We obviously encourage you to buy as many tickets for as many chances to win as possible!

Want to donate a prize? Let us know!

We’re always welcoming new prizes you think would be a great match for our raffle, all the way up to the event. Of course, if you want to give away actual tangible things, you’ll need to ship them to Boston in time for the event! If you’re interested in donating goods and services, please contact us at sponsors[at]sm4sc[dot]com. The goal here, of course is to raise as much money as possible for Jane Doe through the raffle - so the more great prizes the better!

Thanks everyone. I can’t wait to meet you all on Friday!

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Wow.

With just around 8 days left until the first SM4SC Event on October 10, we’re totally in the home stretch of event planning and preparation. And, on behalf of all of the people working on SM4SC, both those public and private, I’d like to take a step back and offer a personal thank you to everyone.

It’s been extremely inspiring to see the overwhelming response to both the event and the concept, and to watch something that was little more than Gradon’s dream 8 weeks ago grow into an actual event, with most of the 75 tickets SOLD OUT, an amazing venue,12 amazing corporate sponsors, a press release, some amazing press, and hundreds and hundreds of volunteered hours by many, many people working to make this event and charity happen. It’s really given me amazing faith in the power of social media in general, and the power of using it for good, and I very much look forward to the continued success of SM4SC, and the next event after this one!

So, with just about a week to go here, I’d like to remind everyone that there’s still time to get involved! There’s many ways to a part of what will be a very special night in Boston:

• Buy a ticket! At the time of this writing, there were only 7 left. After these are gone, there will be no more! Trust me in saying, you’ll want to be there. In addition to great people for a great cause, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in an exclusive raffle and silent auction for some really great prizes (more on that in the next few days). And you MUST BE THERE TO WIN. So, what are you waiting for?


• Donate. Every dollar counts and goes directly for a great cause. And the best part - your donations are tax-deductible! To donate, send us an email at sponsors[at]sm4sc[dot].com with the amount you’re interested in donating. Any donation of just $10 will be featured on our donors page.



• Be in a song! Our teammate and PR maven Rebecca Corliss loves to sing. And for a donation, she’ll sing for you, your company or your brand and put it on YouTube (and maybe even with some gentle prodding, perform it at SM4SC Boston!) Learn more about this unique opportunity by clicking here.


• Volunteer on event night. We’ll need a team of people to help out on the night of the event in all different capacities. If you’re interested and able to volunteer starting in the afternoon of October 10th, please email volunteers[at]sm4sc[dot].com


• Tell a friend. Please tell your friends about the event and the charity. Spread the world any way you can. Find out where you can find us virtually. on our Get Involved page

And again, thank you all for your support. None of this is possible without you. I’m very much looking forward to seeing you all in Boston!



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So, I’ve been serving as SM4SC’s PR dudette for a while now, also working with fabulous PR/Social Media Agency sponsor SocialRadi.us. I launched our first news release last week and I’ve been chatting with reporters/bloggers to continue getting the word out.

Well. This has been awesome, and I’m in love with the traction we’re getting. However, I started thinking…how ELSE can I help? What can crazy Repcor do to get more people to donate to SM4SC and Jane Doe Inc.’s cause?

I KNOW.

I pledge to write a song about you, your company, your family, your cause, your dog, WHATEVER– to whoever pledges the highest donation to SM4SC. Note: this is a DONATION, not a sponsorship. This person’s/company’s donation will go directly to Jane Doe Inc. and will be tax deductible (minus tickets in your donor package, if you’re THAT much of a rockstar.)

Bidding will close on Friday, October 3rd at 5:00pm EST. I’ll then take the weekend to get the creative juices flowing, write up an awesome song about how charitable you are (throw in some of your corporate messaging, if that’s what gets your jollies) and the good people at SM4SC will throw it up on the website on Monday 10/6 (along with my blog, other people’s blogs, surely tweeted everywhere, dugg, you know the drill!)

So… let it begin! Your bids can be made by tweeting me @repcor or emailing me at rebecca@sm4sc.com.

Good luck!



Originally posted on www.rebeccacorliss.com.



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Harnessing the Power of Web 2.0, ‘Social Media for Social Change’ (SM4SC) Hosts Event to Support Victims of Domestic Violence

BOSTON, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Social Media for Social Change (SM4SC), an online grassroots movement started by Boston native Gradon Tripp to rally social media-users and leaders in support of a common cause, will host its first fundraiser on October 10 at 6:30 PM at the Harvard Club of Boston; all proceeds will go to Jane Doe, Inc. (JDI). Eleven sponsors have pledged their support so far, including a major donation by presenting sponsor Empressr. SM4SC anticipates raising over $20,000 from this event alone.

SM4SC has garnered support from hundreds of Web 2.0-savvy individuals and corporations across the United States to raise funds for JDI. SM4SC differs from other fundraising organizations by tapping into the social media world to get the word out through blogging, Digging, Tweeting on Twitter and other online tools. By harnessing these powerful applications, SM4SC feels it can make a major difference for important charity organizations.

“SM4SC is powered by the influence that individual people have within their own online communities to work together and make something happen,” said Gradon Tripp, founder of SM4SC and author of DesignBoston blog. “We’re utilizing the communal nature of the Internet, which can cause a YouTube video or blog post to reach millions, to raise money for crucially important charities and help fix real-world problems.”

“This is the first Web 2.0 event that we’ve been a part of that’s sole purpose is to address social responsibility,” said Bryan Thatcher, founder of Empressr, a New York City company that provides online rich media presentation tools. “The interconnected social community, especially in Boston, is exactly what is needed to fuel a movement like this.”

SM4SC plans to extend outside Boston, eventually hosting similar events for charities in other locales, including Virginia and New York City. For more information on Social Media for Social Change, visit http://www.sm4sc.com or follow SM4SC on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sm4sc.

To purchase a ticket to this event, visit http://sm4sc.eventbrite.com. To make donations to Jane Doe Inc. through SM4SC, visit http://www.sm4sc.com/donors.

About Social Media for Social Change (SM4SC)

Social Media for Social Change harnesses the idea that collaboration — both online and offline — can change the world for the greater good. By hosting fundraising events across the United States, the social media community can raise money for charity to help people in need. To learn more about SM4SC, visit http://www.sm4sc.com.

About Empressr

Empressr is a first-of-its-kind rich Internet application that provides users with the tools to create and share multi-media visual stories online. Armed with only a Web browser, users can combine photographs, artwork, text, music, videos, audio recordings and charts to produce anything from a simple slide show to a state-of-the-art business presentation. To learn more about Empressr, visit http://www.empressr.com.

About Jane Doe Inc. (JDI)

Jane Doe Inc. is the statewide coalition of over sixty community-based sexual assault and domestic violence organizations across Massachusetts committed to the safety, dignity and liberty of survivors. JDI raises awareness, engages people to take action, increases access to and improves the delivery of services, acts as a clearinghouse of information, promotes efforts to address the needs of underserved communities and advocates for public and private funding and improved policies and practices in the public and private sectors to help create a world free of abuse. To learn more about Jane Doe Inc., visit http://www.janedoe.org.



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If you listened to my podcast from a few weeks ago, you know that my mother died when I was seven, at the hands of my stepfather. While the loss stays with you forever, it’s also the sort of thing that inspires someone to be different than they otherwise might have been. Here are three ways that I think my mother’s death has shaped my life:

I think differently. Losing someone so important to you at such a young age forces you to question things. Processing that loss over these last 24+ years has brought on many questions, and forced me to open my mind and consider things that others might never think about.

I’m a better father. By the time I was my son’s age, my life had been flipped upside down. I cherish every moment I have with the innocent, hopeful little man that looks like a more handsome version of me. While I’m committed to teaching him to be a strong, independent man, I also want him to hold on to that innocence… those boyish qualities of hope and i-can-do-anything-ness.

I want to make a difference. It’s my hope that no one else would have to live through the things I experienced in my childhood. In fact, I’m sure everyone has the abstract hope that women shouldn’t be afraid of their husbands, or that children should be safe. “Don’t go through what I went through” is a pretty straightforward goal. But it takes on a special resonance for me.

While I think surviving my mother’s death has shaped me in a positive way overall, that certainly doesn’t mean I think anyone should have to go through the same thing.

That’s what Social Media for Social Change is about.

If only one mother, or one child, is saved, all of my work — including all of these late nights — is worth it.



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Two quick things


Tickets
For those of you following here on LJ, there are now more tickets available for the event on October 10th. Please come!

Community Discussion
This is an open community. It is not just for news about sm4sc. You are all quite welcome to post and start up conversation about social media for social change and anything related. The social aspect is what this is all about so I encourage you to use this medium! So, what would you like to talk about?




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The foundational idea of SM4SC is that social media tools can help non-profits do the things they need to do… and do them better.

But what does that mean? How exactly can social media tools benefit non-profits?

The short answer? They benefit non-profits the same way they benefit for-profits. I’ll expand a little more on the idea, though.

Before I do, I should say that as a former non-profiteer (and current, too, I guess!), I’m pretty excited about the difference they can make, primarily in terms of cost, reach and accessibility.

So here goes — there’s nothing quite like a list to break down the WHY.

(And as List Queen, it’s my M.O. anyway!)

( The List )

Those are seven reasons right off the top of my head (and from my experience.)

I remember managing meager promotional budgets, and trying to get volunteers in to stuff mailings and convincing people to spend hours calling up friends and family to invite them to an event.

I would lie awake at night wondering how we could do this better.

Having a super-interactive Facebook group… or administering a meeting with Eventbrite… or promoting it through Upcoming… or having a blog to open up the conversation… or meeting new supporters and interacting with them through Twitter would have been a DREAM.

As I’ve spent time working on SM4SC, it has become more clear to me every day what a blessing all this stuff would have been.

That’s why I’m excited to show non-profits how powerful these tools are, and how they can do more with less resources by incorporating them into their efforts.

I welcome you to add more thoughts, or share any questions you might have in the comments.



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In the course of speaking with donors and sponsors as we’ve planned and prepared for the Boston event and throughout the process of launching SM4SC, I’ve heard one question more than any other:

“Why that cause in particular? What does it mean to you?”

My answer?

Well, it’s Gradon’s cause, first and foremost.

His experiences with domestic abuse as a child, while horrible and unconscionable, are far too common in the lives of families across North America… and across the world, for that matter.  If you can imagine a way to cause hurt to another human being, it’s probably happening to someone vulnerable right now.

And whether a parent or a child loses their life, or is forced to carry the memory of that violence for the rest of their days, it’s a tragedy.  I can’t think of a large enough word for what a tragedy it is.

Fortunately, Gradon has shown us what it looks like when someone survives to exist beyond the scope of that trauma. He’s a great son, a loving dad, and a true friend… and, most remarkably, he wants to do something for people who are experiencing the hell he once endured.

I don’t know what kind of strength that takes, but he has it.

How could I not help him make his dream happen?

( Still: 'But what does it mean to you, Meg?' )

That brings me to my question for you:

What could this cause mean for you if you made it a priority?

And how are you going to get started?

I’ve got a couple ideas.



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As of Friday morning, all 50 of the tickets for the first Social Media for Social Change are sold! With four weeks still to go! I’ve said it before, but the response to this idea of mine is unbelievable, and really goes to show how well community change and social media go together.

Dmitri and I were discussing selling more tickets. I would love to, but we need to justify the expense before we do that. As this is a fund raiser, it would be foolish to take away money that could go to Jane Doe Inc just to host more people, right?

That being said, I will be offering a limited number of tickets as sponsors let me know how many they may or may not need. They’ll be small offerings - 2 to 4 tickets at a time - so they will fall to the lucky people that happen to see them first.

We’re also working on ways to incorporate the larger social media community that may not be in Boston on October 10. Keep an eye out for updates on that.



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I continue to be amazed by the response we are getting about Social Media for Social Change. Things are moving fast - less than six weeks to go! - but I want to take a quick moment to give a thanks to our early Event Sponsors.



First, to Rosetta for their Silver level sponsorship. Rosetta is “one of the leading interactive agencies focused on translating personalized customer connections into business results.” They can be found at http://www.rosetta.com/.



Next, to Brainstorm for their Bronze level sponsorship. This Indianapolis-based branding and marketing company “is guided by a unique passion for excellence in benefit-driven solutions.” They can be found at http://www.brainstormbrand.com/.



Lastly, to Wine Library for their Bronze level sponsorship. The Springfield, NJ-based store is home base to Gary Vaynerchuk’s Winelibrary.tv, one of the most popular video-blogs in the world.

These three companies have stepped up to support our event to raise funds for Jane Doe Inc, an amazing organization doing incredible work. Thanks to you all!

Want info on becoming an event sponsor? Check out our Sponsors page!



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Since I first started talking about what became Social Media for Social Change, and my desire to help Jane Doe, Inc., I’ve mentioned that I had a personal connection with the cause.

Earlier today, I had a chat with Meg Fowler about my experiences, and my passion for this project, and what SM4SC might become in the future. Have a listen, and feel free to contact us if you want to get involved!

Please see original blog post to listen



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Yesterday, Nathan Burke and Sarah Wurrey were kind enough to feature Social Media for Social Change on their Blogstring podcast.

In it, Dmitri discussed our thoughts behind the event and our desire for this to grow beyond a one-time event. Instead of me writing about it, why don’t you give it a listen yourself:

See original Blog post

At one point, Dmitri mentions that I have personal reasons for organizing SM4SC that include experiences with domestic abuse. Over the next couple weeks, I want to focus more on why Social Media for Social Change was created, and what Jane Doe, Inc. does. I want to make sure that, while we celebrate the reach that social media has, it’s understood why we’re doing this.

Thanks again to Nathan and Sarah. If you would like to discuss Social Media for Social Change, please feel free to email me at gradon [at} sm4sc [dot] com.



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I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Hot Blogger Calendar, but apparently there’s a lot of hotness going on in the blogosphere… and like firemen and kittens before them, they’re going to get their own calendar!

Hmmm… how about hottest non-profits? No?

Ok.

Regardless of our own hotness, we’re glad that Chris Lucas of Lucas on Sports is putting his manly charms (back off, ladies, he’s married!) to good use, embarking on a pay-per-vote campaign for Social Media for Social Change on his blog.

He’s got a growing group of companies to throw a dime per vote in his direction, which he has in return promised to us to support the folks at Jane Doe, Inc.

If you’d like to help Chris achieve his calendar dreams AND support our great cause, head here to vote for him.

(I should say that Meg wrote this — I guess the hotness beat is all mine.:D)



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http://www.sm4sc.com/blog/2008/08/25/social-media-for-social-change-a-few-particulars/ http://www.sm4sc.com/?p=166

I am utterly amazed at the response we’ve gotten about the Social Media for Social Change event. The support has been overwhelming. We are working harder than ever, trying to get the corporate sponsors needed to hit our goal. A couple questions have arised that I would like to take the time to clear up.

Why only 50 tickets?

We currently have the Harvard Club booked for 80 attendees. At that number, the total cost of the night approaches $6,000. We are offering complimentary seats to sponsors, so we had to reserve a quantity. If we receive enough sponsorship money to cover the cost, we could increase attendance - possibly as high as 120 people.

Dress code?

The nature of the event, combined with the location, deserve a level of respect in terms of our attire. Accordingly, I’m going with “Semi-formal” as my standard reply to the question. While the term conjures up memories of a teenage me in a too-big blazer, I think you’ll be able to use that as the appropriate barometer.

Or, as Dmitri likes to say, always be the best dressed person in the room.



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YOU

First of all thank you to the few of you who have joined this group so far. We're seeing a lot of interest on facebook so far but not much buzz here on dear old livejournal, so please help us spread the word. If you belong to communities that would be interested either let us know or pimp us out yourselves. If you're wondering what you can do for sm4sc that is really the best thing. Get the word out using the social media at your disposal.

We appreciate any support that you may be able to give. We’ve just recently launched the new website, and we’ll add more ways to get involved. But for now, here’s 5 ways to do it.

1. COME OUT TO OUR EVENTS. The first event will be held in Boston on Oct 10, 2008. We’d love to see you there.



2. CONNECT WITH US. As a Social Media powered organization, we hope you’ll come find us in other places too:
   
   
   
   • Twitter
   
   
   • MySpace
   
   
   • Facebook
   
   
   • Flickr
   
   
   
   



3. BE A SPONSOR. We’re looking for corporate sponsors of all sizes to help us to fund events, and contribute money to our cause. Here’s how.


4. DONATE WITH US. We’re working on a way to let you do that. Every dollar counts. If you’re interested in donating your time, please reach out.


5. CONTACT US. We’re always looking to hear from you. Shoot us an email.
   
   
   MENTIONS
   SM4SC has been mentioned on a few blogs/websites.
   
   A Thousand Cuts
   Media Bullseye
   

in addition to personal donations, we’re proud to feature our corporate and personal sponsors on the event website, and at the event itself.

if you’re interested in becoming a corporate or personal sponsor to help underwrite this event, please contact the organizers at sponsors (at) sm4sc (dot) com.