Tag Archives: Social Media for Social Good

In re: Sportsball and Charity

… >.> ok so I wrote the below first, but realize MAYYYYBEE there are new people here?

So! In the past I used to do this “Social Media for Social Good” campaign. And there have been various people that participated, various amounts of money raised. Like all social media things it’s changed, and I used to tie it to touchdowns or Ohio State Buckeye wins … and different charities. I think one year I even said every TD I’d donate X amount to a charity of a commenters choice. But with life and such happening, it’s gotten more varied. So now … the below.

~*~*~

Hi friends! Let’s be honest – at the end of the year I’m just going to see how much I can afford and split that amount between World Central Kitchen and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

[Heh unless something totally unforeseen happens?]

But if you’re watching the game right now – and come on. Youย know the game I’m talking about is The Ohio State University vs Notre Dame. Well. My face is ๐Ÿ˜

Anyway this post is to keep me accountable, hope someone else wants to donate, and also send cookies cuz this game is … ๐Ÿ˜–

 

Social Media for Social Good Sportsball Edition v. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

Honestly the title there is pretty indicative of my life and how everything is going. If you noticed there haven’t been many posts going live lately. That’s on me. The best of intentions and all – my computer actually can’t handle … like … anything >.< [I REALLY need a new one >.< …] internet issues,ย power outagesย – omg. And I even know on the last I’ve been incredibly lucky and spoiled because I absolutely haven’t had to deal with days without power like literally millions of others have had to do.

So. Anyway. SPORTSBALL IS BACK YES IT IS.

๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ๐Ÿˆ

[I actually think this might be the fifth or sixth iteration of SMSG specifically tied to football but … ?]

I have no details or anything again … other than I’m absolutely certain I’m donating to World Central Kitchen. [I still need to decide if I’m donating per game, per score, etc.]

You can check this page periodically to see how things are going.

I will say this though – if the Buckeyes win the national championship I’ll do something extra. And more tangible extra and interactive extra … if the Buckeyes ever win and score more than 70 points that game – come comment and tell me what non-profit charitable organization you’d like me to donate to. I’ll kick in a minimum of $10 to that place to someone who comments for that week.

September 2, 2020 => OSU at Minn

 

*And look. I understand sportsball is and can beย deeply problematic. And dangerous. (And possibly/probably I and others still don’t even know many issues.) There is some good that stems from it though – the sense of community, the people who do care and use their platform for good, And *gestures at the above* I have no spoons. This is an easy tangible way to keep myself accountable and donate to charity. It also takes away and and all guesswork as games and scores are set once the clock hits 0:00.

Sportsball Social Media for Social Good

Iโ€™m doing this on my phone for the first time ever and hoping it works so thisโ€™ll be bare bones and hopefully updated once I can get to my computer (providing it cooperates).

If youโ€™ve been around ALBTALBS you know I also make charitable donations specially based on how the Buckeyes do, so now that the season is here, I wanted to get this post done before the game is over.

Iโ€™ll donate to charity each time the Buckeyes win. (This year I donโ€™t have a set number yet – I need to look at my finances as I was again on unpaid medical leave for a period.) Anyway, if the Buckeyes win and break 70 points Iโ€™ll probably make a larger donation.

Last year I believe I gave to the ACLU and SPLC. In the past Iโ€™ve donated to any non-profit charity the first commenter suggested.

No decisions yet but Iโ€™m always looking for worthy causes, so what charities do you think need more love?

Keep this post in mind for updates and interaction, especially if I decide to do game donations by comment. โค๏ธ

On Sportsball/Social Media for Social Good, and Latinx Heritage Month

Hi friends! If you’re a longtime reader you might maybe have thought “hey I wonder what’s up with SMSG this year?” Well … it’s like this – if The Ohio State University Buckeyes break 70 points and win their game, I’ll donate $10 to a non-profit charity. (This seemed like something that might happen a few times at the beginning of the season … but so far it’s only happened once. Fingers crossed they do more.)

ANYWAY. I kept meaning to throw this post up, but life and such and ALBTALBS is clearly on a bit of a hiatus, and the only “good kid” of the crowd is Babs – who is the hero of the site. (I’m definitely in the “bad child” camp myself :X) Continue reading

Today is Possibly the Last Social Media for Social Good Ever ยฏ\_(ใƒ„)_/ยฏ

HI FRIENDS!! So it’s been like … I don’t even have words for how painfully low key, but Social Media for Social Good 2017ย has been a thing this year, or an attempt, and today is the last day. In fact, the last ~hour. So get on it?

I’ll add more to this post, but I just want to have something for now. You know how to do. You have until kickoff before the Big Ten Championship, but let’s just call it like what, 8:03 PM Eastern Time?

Social Media for Social Good 2017: Football Redux

Hi friends! So October has “Make a Difference Day” and I’ve been doing a form of Social Media for Social Good the past, gosh, seven years now. It started my last year with another blog, actually.

This year things are crazy and I still have surgery brain, but we all know I love my Buckeyes like the thousands who have graduated from that university.

I’m still not 100% sure what charity I’m going to donate to – things are just so wild and so many different people and places need help. I think we also know though that I was out of work for most of this year so … I’m not 100% sure on how much I’ll be donating (I’m thinking $50-$100 per game, tentatively), but this is what I want to do to make it interactive.

Guess the final score of the Buckeye game. If we win, I’ll make a donation to a non-profit organization in your honor. If anyone puts in a guess for the Maryland vs. Ohio State game before kickoff (if I get this up in time) that counts too.

So – are you ready? You can guess every week, but only one guess per person per week please. Closest score wins and gets the donation!

GET SET … GUESS!!

xoxo

Games:

Oct 14: OSU vs. Nebraska

Oct 28: OSU vs. Penn State

Nov 4: OSU vs. Iowa

Nov 11: OSU vs. M*ch State

Nov 18: OSU vs. Illinois

Nov 25: OSU vs. M*ch*g*n

Dec 2: Big 10 Championship [B1G!] OSU vs. Wisconsin

Dec 29 Cotton Bowl: OSU vs. USC

ETA: THAT’S IT! And this might be it forever!ย Forever. (Hi, fuck you, GOP Tax … fuckery.)

**N.B. for the Cotton Bowl: Pleaseย include the non-profit charity you’d want me to donate to. I’ll need to get it done before 2017, so there probably won’t be time for follow up. Thanks for playing! Xoxo

Attention! Social Media for Social Good 2017 – Year Nine Kicks Off!

Hi friends! If you’ve been around social media for a while you’ll know I try to do a charity campaign each year. I call it Social Media for Social Good. I don’t think I came up with the phrase, but I can’t remember who did, so my apologies. The purpose of it is to use social media to raise awareness for a particular charity, and then also to make it a group effort.

Initially, I made it a “per comment” goal and fundraiser, and people got upset about it. (Of course people get upset about everything, but who needs that sort of negativity in their lives?) It was also super depressing, so in 2015 I tied Social Media to Social Good to Ohio State Football. I (perhaps optimistically) expect them to have a winning season, so that makes things easy.

Apparently in 2016 I did everything on Facebook or Twitter – but this year I’m going to use the blog. Time snuck up on me, so I don’t have all the details ironed out yet, but the purpose ofย this post is to see if anyone would like to join me in this years efforts.

I’m also taking suggestions as to what charity or effort(s) you think the focus should be this year. Does anyone have ideas? Would you like to join in? Let me know please!

Thank you! <3

Social Media for Social Good 2015: Football Edition

Hi friends! So as you know (maybe), I’ve been largely absent the past few months. This means I also missed my annual Social Media for Social Good Charity Fundraiser. I have to say, I’m tapped out. I know people care, but not being able to see it hurts. In the past we’ve supported relief efforts – twice in fact – from famine to child refugees from Syria, clean water for people, against human trafficking, for Native Americans, and more. We’ve done great.

SMSG15 Football

This time … I’m leaving it up to you.

Here’s what I mean. I’d like you to comment with your favorite non-profit charity. If you can, leave a link to the organization etc, so others can check it out, and make it easier on me.

Why do you want to make it easy on me? Well, I think you all know I love football. Likeย really love. Especially college football. What I’m doing this year is, for every touchdown the Buckeyes score tonight, I’ll donate $10 to a charity. $5 for a fieldgoal. (Hey any points should be rewarded, right?) Uhhh… if thereย does happen to be a safety I’ll figure it out later.

I figured I’d mix it up, so we hit a variety. What do I mean? Let’s say there are six touchdowns tonight. That means $10 to comment 1’s charity, $10 to comment 2’s charity, and so on and so forth. We’ll just go in order. If there aren’t enough comments to cover all the touchdowns, I’ll probably donate to UNICEF or something. If there areย more comments than scores … well that’s cool too. I might donate up to $500. We’re playing this by ear. [Please one charity per comment though, and give others a chance to add?]

Sound good? Feel free to ask questions too. Let’s make this interactive and fun!

ETA: I’m leaving SMSG open through the rest of the season … and post season, so let’s home they win the championship again, shall we? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Using Social Media for Good to Make a Difference: Fighting ALS, Ebola, and for Child Refugees

โ€‹Social Media for Social Good, our annual charity campaign is in its fifth year. Can you believe that? I know I’ve been more absent than not this year, so unlike the previous years, SMSG14 will be more conversational. I promised Lori in 2012 that ALS would be the focus, and I’m definitely including it, but with so much else going on this year, a few months ago I decided to add Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres; MSF) because of the Ebola crisis, โ€‹and then I saw a report on Syrian child refugees, so we’re adding UNICEF as well. *ETA I specifically chose to start SMSG14 on Make a Difference Day. ๐Ÿ™‚

On ALS from Lori:

This year awareness has been increased so much by the #IceBucketChallenge. It’s awesome that so many who didn’t know anything about ALS are sharing and caring. But the real need is for donations. For research for a cure – and we are closer than ever.

I will walk this year with a mix of sadness and hope. My sister-in-law Sue lost her battle with ALS in March 2013, but I am determined to help fund research for a cure or treatment. So many more are still living with ALS, and we must do all we can to support them.

As a respiratory therapist, I took care of my first ALS patient in 1994, when the amazing Mr. Hoang and his family touched my life. Their strength, courage and humor never ceased to amaze me. I was privileged to know them and be a part of Mr. Hoang’s care team.

Fast-forward 15 years, and our own family was devastated to learn that my brother’s wife Sue was diagnosed. Her spirit and fight, and her resolve to beat this disease filled me with awe. She was an amazing woman, and together with my brother, raised two amazing daughters. I am so privileged that she was my sister for 30 years.

You can find information about Ebola and Child Refugees on both the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and UNICEF “Humanitarian Issues/Crisis” pages respectively. You might want to look and the following is why.

Some facts on Ebola and MSF:

  • The Ebola outbreak was officially declared on March 22, 2014.
  • MSF is currently active in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, with six Ebola case management centers
  • If contracted, Ebola is one of the worldโ€™s most deadly diseases. It is a highly infectious virus that can kill up to 90 percent of the people who catch it.
  • According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report issued October 15, 2014, the mortality rate for Ebola cases in West Africa is nearly 50%
  • The situation is so dire the first ever UN emergency health mission, the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) has been set up
  • The WHO also says the situation in Africa is deteriorating.
  • MSF has been the first — and often only — line of defense against Ebola in West Africa.

There is hope.

  • Nigera was officially declared Ebola free on October 20, 2014.
  • In 2007, MSF entirely contained an epidemic of Ebola in Uganda.

They need our help. You can read one MSF worker’s account here. From the beginning I’ve been hearing the most about MSF doing work on the ground, so that’s why I picked MSF over other organizations at this time.

And this is why I also decided to add UNICEF. I saw a report and just cried my eyes out.

I have a major soft spot for children, and seeing ones who are so young – 10 years old or younger – working all day out in the field, then excited to go to school … I had to help make that happen.

  • A UN report back from February found that more than 10,000 children have been killed.
  • Syrian children have been sexually abused and tortured, used as human shields and recruited as child soldiers.
  • As of July 7, 2014, 6.5 million Syrian childrenโ€”an increase of more than two million compared to last yearโ€”now need immediate humanitarian assistance.
  • More than 8,000 children have arrived at Syriaโ€™s borders without their parents.
  • More than 37,000 Syrian babies have been born as refugees. You can see more on a UNICEF infographic here.
  • A Doctor's Account
  • That is what a doctor is saying about their situation. From February. I cannot imagine the situation has gotten any better. Especially since they said they were running out of funds.
  • $15 can buy pencils and notebooks for an entire classroom, $4 can buy a text book for a child, $4 can buy a story book for a child

There’s so much more to say and so much more information out there, but I just wanted to share a little bit about each. If you have additional information please feel free to share. I’d love to learn about what’s going on and more charities.

I definitely understand giving, and giving quietly. I know it’s not about the adulation you get. I’m making this public though, and encouraging more to do the same because I believe it does spur people to give. (Like the opposite of public shaming!) I also explain why we’re doing a comment drive. I know it’s still tough for so many. If you can’t afford to give, you can still help! Each comment raises money, so comment away. Send your friends, family, enemies. Your pets, anyone! *ETA: Also if you donate but don’t want your name or amount given listed would you please email me to let me know so I can add the amount to the tally? Thank you! <3

I’m down for $1,130. (My break down is $500 for Doctors Without Borders, $315 to the ALS Walk, and $315 to UNICEF)
Amara Royce is making a pledge of 25ยข per comment
Katje is giving $25 + 1ยข per comment to Doctors Without Borders
Melanie and Loupe are going in together for 25ยข per comment
Lucy Monroe is down for $500, and she’ll give an additional $100 when we reach 500 comments
Ayelet Waldman is matching dollar for dollar donations to Doctors Without Borders across all her social media platforms up to $2,000
Laura K. Curtis is donating $10 per comment up to $100

You can donate to ALS at various places, such as the ALSA. This is Lori’s Walk Page.

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I contacted Doctors Without Borders about setting up a campaign but have yet to hear back, so if that changes, I’ll update here. For now though, donate here. You can also donate through UNICEF and right now (at least for those in the USA your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.)

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UNICEF donations to Syrian children can be made here. For those in the USA, this is a direct donation page.

Won’t you join us? We can do so many amazing things!
And thank you all for your generosity and support.

(I’d also like to note since all of these are non-profit charitable organizations, your donations are tax deductible. Also, considering seeing if your employer will match your donation!)

Let’s do this!