Technology has changed how the world works on so many levels, from how we communicate with others, how we run our businesses, and how we complete everyday errands and tasks. Technology is used in most aspects of our daily lives. This, of course, has its pros and cons. Charities and not-for-profit organisations are definitely in the pro column.
Using technology, charities and not-for-profit organisations are able to reach a wider audience, and raise awareness for their cause, therefore gaining more support and understanding. How are such organisations using technology to do this? Let’s take a look.
Blogs are used to share stories and news about the charity and what they are about; and to share the stories of individuals, whether they be individuals raising funds and awareness of a particular cause, or sharing their personal journey through illness, injury or other life-changing events.
Social Media is huge for charities, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, to name just a few. They can reach out, inform a massive audience of what they are doing to raise funds, provide information about events, talk about their amazing volunteers and show their appreciation for support. Updates can be provided regularly, and links to news articles and websites. People can ‘share’ and ‘comment’ on what is being posted online, and spread the word further through their circle of friends and family who may not ‘follow’ the particular cause or charity.
Websites are also set up to promote events, and to allow people to register online, making registrations easier for participants, and easier to manage for organisations. The Mother’s Day Classic is a great example of this. This website provides information about the event and the cause, allows for online registrations, online donations, online shopping, and even allows for volunteers to apply online too.
In terms of raising funds, websites such as GoFundMe and everydayhero have simply transformed fundraising efforts. Campaign webpages can be set up through these websites to raise funds securely. Campaigns can be shared both offline and online, shared on social media, linked on other websites and anyone can search for them, or in many cases, stumble across them. Anyone can donate whether it’s $5 or $10,000, and it can all be done securely online using credit cards, PayPal or various other methods (depending on the website’s available payment options). Individuals can share their stories of medical battles, and a long list of other reasons why they need financial support, and strangers can find them and donate.
It is truly amazing how far individuals, charities and causes can reach around the world to find the large number of generous individuals, groups and businesses. And each of these people, continue to share and spread the word, reaching even more people.
Rural communities struck down by drought, or flooding, can reach out to those in nearby towns, cities, other states and countries, to tell their story and gain support they may likely not otherwise receive if it wasn’t for the internet and technology.
Although it is not recommended to search ‘Dr Google’ for your symptoms every time you have a symptom you are concerned about, reputable websites with information about various illnesses and conditions can be very useful. Accessibility to information, stories and the broadcasting of online news sharing stories, leads to many worrying themselves into a frenzy over nothing, but also saved many lives as people have been able to connect to information, whether they have sought the information or stumbled across it by accident.
Imagine what technology will allow us to do in the coming years, and how many more people we will be able to help in our local communities and around the world.
