Austin Ranks low on Volunteering?

Well that’s not good. So how are we changing this Austin? Who are your favorite nonprofits making this change? Take a look at this article from the Austin Biz Journal who are reporting that:

“The Austin-Round Rock area fell in the bottom half of a list ranking large cities’ volunteer rates, hitting No. 36 of 51 metros.

The annual Volunteering in America report, produced by the Corporation for National Community Service, shows that 25.3 percent of residents, or 347,000, in the metropolitan statistical area volunteer, based on an average using 2007-2009 data. The city contributed about $885.5 million worth in service in those years.

Austin ranked higher, No. 14 of 51 cities, on a listing of Baby Boomer volunteer rates, but lower than No. 40 on both a young adults and teenagers volunteer rates listing.”

What is Lights. Camera. Help. (from a students view)

Some UT Students put this together. My fellow co-founder Aaron Bramley does a good job despite their rough filmmaking skills Check it out and enjoy the animations.

Don’t think LBS is serious? Newspapers Do.

No that’s not some new tax law for nonprofits. LBS stands for (in geek terms) location based service. Read on to find out why newspapers are starting to take this service seriously. Check out this great post from my friend Rob Quigley.

“This morning, the Austin American-Statesman began a collaboration with Gowalla, the social media startup that uses GPS-enabled phones to help people explore their cities.

A few larger media outlets have taken a similar plunge, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal with rival service Foursquare, and the Washington Post and National Geographic with Gowalla. It was an easy match for the Statesman because Gowalla is based in Austin, and the Statesman has been pushing the envelope on social media for years.

Users who follow the Statesman and its entertainment site, Austin360, on Gowalla can complete trips that give virtual pins as rewards.

If you haven’t tried Gowalla or Foursquare, the whole idea of “checking in” to a location seems rather absurd – much the way Twitter likely sounded absurd when you first heard about it. However, we now know that Twitter can be used as an effective tool during breaking news events. That point was driven home in Austin during the plane crash into the IRS building. It’s way too early to tell whether Gowalla, Foursquare or any other location-based network will truly hit the mainstream – or be an effective tool for journalists beyond fun marketing.”

High Flying Publicity Stunt – MLF

Is that an actual person on IH-35? On a billboard? Those are some of the questions that people are asking in Austin, TX as Mobile Loaves and Fishes unveils their latest bid to get people to pay attention to the homeless problem in Austin, TX.

From our friends at the Austin Business Journal “The billboard is part of the Austin-based nonprofit’s new mobile giving and awareness campaign, “I Am Here,” which was developed by Austin advertising firm T3.

“Our mission is about empowering people to help,” organization founder Alan Graham said.

“So what if all those people who were afraid to acknowledge a homeless person, or just didn’t know how to help, could send a text donation? They’d be empowered to act, right there in the moment. That’s pretty powerful stuff.”

MLF picked Danny, who has been living on the streets for 15 years along with his wheelchair-bound wife Maggie, to participate in the “I am Here” kickoff event on April 27.

The nonprofit is leveraging the billboard as a call to action, asking passerbyers to text “Danny” to 20222 to make a $10 donation and help Danny and his wife get into a home through MLF’s Habitat on Wheels program.”

Another amazing campaign from one of my favorite non profits.