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Eleanore Rose of Canadian Red Cross holds 6-month-old Sebastian Joseph in Haiti. His mother died in the quake. |
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
For nearly a decade, "slacktivists" have received a bad rap, dismissed as a group of lazy, Web-surfing people who mean to do good but who can't put down their BlackBerrys long enough to make an impact.
But after a major earthquake hit Haiti, slacktivism, a combination of the words "slacker" and "activism," got a new reputation.
Within a week, donations via text messages raised more than $24 million for the American Red Cross alone. The group will also share, with other top charities, proceeds from Friday night's star-studded "Hope for Haiti" telethon.
Last night, organizers said the event had raised $57 million and counting, according to The Associated Press. That includes funds raised by phone, text and the Web--but not donations by corporations or via iTunes.
Since news of the disaster first broke, Facebook status updates have urged other users to give, and Twitter feeds have given details on relief efforts.
The magnitude of the disaster and international response shone a light on a growing trend of digital charity work.
"What Haiti did was provide a moment in time where this could be seen on a widespread basis," said Geoff Livingston, who wrote the book "Now Is Gone" about social media.
Charities had slowly been discovering the benefits of social media before the disaster in Haiti. In the Fredericksburg area, several charities used technology to reach potential volunteers and donors during the holidays.
WORKING THE WEB
Just weeks before Christmas, for example, the Rappahannock United Way had 35 senior citizens who needed sponsors to provide gifts. Staff sent a message to the RUW's e-mail list. And they posted the need as the agency's Facebook status.
Within two days, every senior was adopted.
Allyson Kapin, founder of the Rad Campaign, which helps charities use technology, said people appreciate the immediacy and specificity of such methods.
And when charities use social media correctly, they have an already-assembled audience.
"We need to reach people where they are," she said. "And where are people? They spend their day online. They spend their day on their BlackBerry."
In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, and when a tsunami hit Indonesia in 2004, many people tried donating online.
For most it was their first time ever, Kapin said. Since then, they've continued to give with a mouse click.
By 2008, more charities were jumping onto the Web, starting blogs and creating Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. But for the most part, early attempts weren't so effective, Kapin said.
"The whole point of a social network is to be social and to not just see it as a one-way communication tool," she said. "It's not just a way to push your press release or blog post. This is a way to engage people in a discussion about your issue."
Last year, efforts became more streamlined, creating the perfect model to leverage help for Haiti. Donations have come via snail mail, Web sites and text messages.
The text messages raised a record amount, but Livingston and Kapin caution that this method works best for national charities, like the American Red Cross.
The setup fees and monthly costs can be a huge hurdle for smaller groups.
But local charities can certainly tap the power of social media, Kapin said.
'REALLY GOING VIRAL'
Just days after the earthquake hit, Adam Bray--who helps run Fredericksburg All Ages--felt inspired to help. Since he was off from work at his job in Washington on Monday, he decided to start a volunteer effort to collect and assemble health kits for the United Methodist Committee on Relief. He created an event on Facebook. Three days later, volunteers poured in to create more than 50 kits.
Within hours of his original posting, friends put the event on their status updates and invited groups to join.
"It's probably the best example of things really going viral," said Bray, who wanted to specifically target young volunteers.
Experts suggest that Bray's approach is correct: Members of the younger crowd appreciate online efforts to help. But they often lack the checkbooks to donate big bucks.
But charities should also keep in mind, Kapin said, that online demographics are starting to skew older. The fastest-growing age group on Facebook is 50 and older.
She also said charities should keep using traditional methods along with new technology.
Kristin Vinagro, information services specialist at the RUW, said the agency has found the Internet to give good return for not much effort. But the agency will continue to use its old-school methods too, she said.
Other charities would be wise to follow that model, Livingston said. But most of all, they should try new techniques, too.
"Get out there and start playing with it," Livingston said. "It sounds intimidating but it's really very easy."
Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com
had been raised by texting
2.5 million
donors texted $10 pledges to the American Red Cross.
$200,000
was raised via text message for the American Red Cross during the 2008 hurricane season.
$10,000
was donated to Oxfam America's relief efforts via
23 percent
of people giving for Haiti relief donated via e-mail.
14 percent
of donors said they donated via text.
39 percent
donated in person, at a church or local agency.
13 percent
of Americans received or gave updates about Haiti
74 percent
of American adults use the Internet.
Donors seemed to like the immediacy and convenience of texting money to charities.
But the newest method of doing good isn't without pitfalls. Giving via text brings immediate gratification for the donor. But it could take 90 days to reach the charity.
Some carriers have worked to get the money to agencies faster. But it's not as immediate as donors initially thought.
And, for the most part, only national charities will get a bite of the texting trend. The start-up costs can range from $3,000 to $10,000 and up. Other monthly fees, which vary by carrier, also apply.
It's neither simple nor cheap for the charity. But it is for donors.
"You get to immediately make that donation, it takes just a few seconds, because you're texting it, and it's really inexpensive," said Allyson Kapin, founder of the Rad Campaign, which helps charities use technology.
A combination of "slacker" and "activism," the word first showed up in 1995 at a music festival. It picked up steam in a 2002 New York Times story.
At first, it had a relatively good meaning: a person who wasn't leading a revolution but instead taking small steps to improve the world. Within years, the word came to represent well-meaning but lazy people who simply wore plastic armbands or forwarded e-mails about causes.
