Helping others - and yourself
Like its dot-com counterparts, ImpactOnline
believes reaching a critical mass is essential to keep it thriving. The
difference is that this supply and demand company trades in a commodity
that is given away free - volunteers.
ImpactOnline may look like a dot-com company, but it actually a dot-org,
a not-for profit organisation committed to putting everyone from youth
mentors to disaster relief aides to work.
While many non-profits have remained in the technological dark ages, ImpactOnline
has pioneered a whole new way of high-tech and virtual volunteering, to
encourage the home and office bound to give their time in ways such as
designing a charity's Web site or tutoring a student via e-mail.
It has also built a slick Web service that makes finding a place to volunteer
almost as simple as buying a book or downloading software from the Internet.
Each week some 15,000 people come to VolunteerMatch to peruse opportunities
listed by 6,000 different groups around the United States.
Knitting baby blankets for newborns in Kentucky, teaching chess to children
in the Bronx, or assisting the handicapped during a fishing outing in
Georgia are just a few of the many opportunities.
For all the choices it offers, the site also helps would-be volunteers
narrow their options by filtering by ZIP code, the distance they are willing
to travel, and the time they have available. If you don't want to commit
to long-term volunteering - VolunteerMatch offers plenty of one-time volunteer
opportunities.
Anyone who has ever inquired about volunteering for a political campaign
or a homeless shelter only to lose interest after multiple phone calls
are never returned knows that good intentions are not always enough to
get some good work done.
If companies can benefit from the efficiencies of the Internet, cash-strapped
charities stand to be transformed. Even those charities that have set
up a Web site are often disappointed to find few visitors coming through
their virtual doors.
Their sites sit in a void in cyberspace with none of the links to the
big portals or other heavily trafficked areas of the Internet that are
critical for reaching target audiences.
To avoid this problem, ImpactOnline has negotiated prominent play on several
big portals such as Snap, Looksmart, the Go Network, and AltaVista.
Raising money has become very important for ImpactOnline - no different
from any other business trying to get a piece of the Internet action.
Even in the volunteer and charitable-giving sector competition is fierce.
A number of online giving sites such as GreaterGood.com and 4charity.com
have set themselves up s for-profits to help ensure they can pay competitive
salaries and reach a broad audience, which should ultimately help them
raise more money for the needy.
© Copyright 2001. Galt Western Personnel Ltd.
Unless otherwise specified, you may reprint this article, quote from it,
use it in research or projects, duplicate it or distribute it. Credit
of authorship and source MUST be given to galtglobalreview.com. Ownership
of Copyright remains with Galt Western Personnel Ltd.
Return to Top
|
