“The nonprofit world is going viral,” writes Vanessa Garcia in Friday’s (11/11) Miami Herald. “New media—Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, vivid photography and interactive content—is quickly becoming part of the effort to educate and win donors. Organizations such as Make-A-Wish, the Florida Youth Orchestra and Jewish Community Services, to name a few, are taking full advantage, with assistance from tech-savvy companies like Content Creators and colleges like St. Thomas University. … Last October, Make-A-Wish joined with Immuno Labs, a leading food and environmental allergy testing facility, to launch a Facebook Challenge. … Because each wish costs almost $5,000, with funding from private individuals and corporations, Kelly said it’s important to connect through videos and other new media so people actually see what the group does. ‘You can’t just sign letters or petitions anymore,’ agreed Myra Weaver, president of the Florida Youth Orchestra, FYO. Last year, with state funding for arts and cultural institutions threatened, FYO coordinated with the Department of Transportation to transport the troupe to Tallahassee, where children played for legislators. The group made a video and posted it on its website, as well as the League of American Orchestras’ website. In the end, the state reinstated $6,000 to the group’s budget.”
Posted November 14, 2011
