Here’s an organization that set out to prove our grandparents wrong. Social media is not the end of civility today, in fact, it’s quickly becoming a philanthropic revolution. Read on to find out how TwitChange is using Twitter and Facebook to make an impact on the world.
How TwitChange was born. In January 2010, the world watched as the impoverished country of Haiti was literally shaken to its core by a devastating earthquake. In the aftermath, Shaun King, a self-proclaimed, “techie humanitarian” launched a social media campaign to help raise money for Haiti’s people. It was so successful he raised 2 million dollarsand caught the attention of Microsoft execs. Microsoft advised actress and activist, Eva Longoria to partner with Shaun’s team instead of starting her own relief fund. When she heard the pitch about TwitChange (an idea that had been swirling in Shaun’s mind for some time) Longoria was not only excited to join the mission herself, she invited a few of her closest friends. Perhaps you’ve heard of them, Demi Moore, Kim Kardashian, Demi Lovato and that master of tween suspense on American Idol, Ryan Seacrest. Not too shabby.
By the time TwitChange launched, over 100 celebrities had agreed to come on board and invited their Twitter followers to participate in a unique relief effort. Using the eBay auction site, fans bid on the opportunity to be followed, mentioned or retweeted by their favorite celebrity. Stars had fun with the campaign, often sweetening the deal by including tickets and autographs. In 10 days, eBay received over $500,000 in bids.
Since the Haiti campaign, TwitChange has teamed up with Pittsburgh Steelers, Troy Polamalu to help families of American soldiers, and a second time with Eva Longoria to raise funds for CARE, an organization committed to providing education to girls and women in 80 countries. Again, the idea was simple. Loyal fans bid for the chance to be followed, retweeted or mentioned by their favorite stars and maybe receive a little celebrity swag bag, as well. Again, both campaigns were a success.
In addition to managing their ongoing relief efforts and fundraising activities, the TwitChange site has a news section where they link to other charities and discuss social media connections people can get involved with. According to the site, their next campaign is “coming soon.” With Twitter and Facebook giving fans instant access to their favorite celebrities, it’s no secret why this is a winning formula. Thanks, Shaun King, for teaching us there’s more to social media than lunch tweets and Farmville.
For more information aboutTwitChange, visit their site: TwitChange.com and follow them on Twitter @TwitChange and @shaunking.
Make your heart happy. Do Good.
