Link Roundup: Hunger in America
WeCanEndThis.com has a contest launched from the CauseLab virtual brainstorm at South by Southwest conference (SXSW). You can still submit your individual ideas and improve others’ ideas to qualify for the $1,000 cash prize for best original idea or $500 cash prize for best collaborator.
Too many people have to choose between healthcare, utilities, rent or other necessities and food. Take a look at the Hunger In America 2010 Key Findings from Feeding America for more shocking results.
Funding is a continual issue for food banks. The North Texas Food Bank is making an appeal to meet a big shortfall. Other organizations seem to be fairing better, Food Banks Beating the Fundraising Odds in a Tough Economy. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports Online Giving Continues to Grow but at a Slower Pace.
This season of The Biggest Loser ended this week but the Pound for Pound Challenge benefiting Feeding America continues.
Top 5 Blog Pet Peeves
I read a lot of blogs. To be a blogger, to be a writer, you also need to be an avid reader. Or at least a headline reader or skimmer!
As a reader of blogs there are a few things that I find really annoying.
- Posted by “admin” – who is this famous admin person? Please use a real name.
- Difficult to find contact information.
- Default blog themes. Don’t use the default or basic theme that comes with WordPress or Blogger.
- Speaking of… blogger standard themes are so cheesy.
- Difficult to read text: white on dark background, small fonts and/or huge blocks of text.
So what are your blog pet peeves? Leave a comment below.
Nonprofit blog carnival for March
Jason Dick, who writes A Small Change blog, is hosting this month’s Nonprofit Blog Carnival. Usually everyone writes on a particular theme. This time the topic was blogger’s choice.
I submitted my last post on Step by Step Fundraising, 6 Reasons NOT to Start a New Nonprofit Organization.
Here are a few my favorites:
How Anyone Can Be a Superstar Fundraiser from Joe with The Fundraising Authority
Fundraising Through Engaged Staff with The Good Life
What’s Paula Deen Got To Do With Your Nonprofit Marketing with Pamela’s Grantwriting Blog
How To Set Up A Free Non Profit Website with Nonprofit Success
What Your Nonprofit Home Page Must Have with Kathy Widenhouse
The entire list can be viewed at Jason’s site here: March Nonprofit Blog Carnival.
Post Conference Catch-Up
Why is it that even when I bring my laptop, when I get home from a conference my email box is still overflowing? And I was only gone 2 days!
SXSW was definitely worth the trip. Someday I’d like to stay for the music festival. Just missed Jakob Dylan live, but managed to listen via Austin’s KGSR Radio.
A few snaps from the show…
Finally met Karen from Volunteer Spot. She is one woman on a mission! She founded the website to help people organize volunteer efforts and it now has over 100,000 members.
I missed the Four Hour Work Week book signing, but was glad to get a copy anyway. Thanks eLance guys! Also from the elance blog…here’s an update on the Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator that I posted on last time. Wish I had had time to see more of the pitches.
And here are the reasons I’m glad to be back home – Troy and baby Micah, now 4 months.
SXSW Interactive Monday: Twitter, biz start-ups and ending hunger
Today at SXSW I attended three very different sessions. Here are some of my notes…
Twitter Talk with Evan Williams
The keynote with Twitter founder Evan Williams was totally packed. I was in the actual exhibit hall but there were overflow rooms with a rebroadcast. It wasn’t a keynote speech at all, but an interview. It was kind of like eavesdropping on a conversation, as if a thousand people were not watching. They kind of rambled but there were some notable quotes:
“Whatever you assume when you start [a business] — you are wrong.” Experiment, listen and correct.
Williams says Twitter is committed to reaching the “weakest signals.” In countries without good internet access they offer SMS. Example…It helped disaster relief efforts after the earthquake in Chile.
That “anyone can publish on the web is still profound. We in this room take it for granted.”
Advice to entrepreneurs “Focus on one thing.” Great reminder.
Microsoft BizSpark Accelerator
This was cool…startups had 2 minutes to pitch their business to a panel of judges. Kind of like Dragon’s Den or Shark Tank, except there was no offer at the end. There are more pitches left and the finals will be tomorrow. Thanks to Karen at Volunteer Spot for suggesting this session.
The Cause Lab: Ending Hunger
We came in late to this one and joined the discussion in progress. I’ve never seen something like this at an internet conference. There were three discussion groups all talking about one aspect of how to tackle hunger in America. In our group we discussed how to create hunger free communities – local level action. There were a lot of great ideas from all three groups (each presented a summary at the end.)
Their website is WeCanEndThis.com also check out this movie: Hungry In America.
After the session I had a great conversation with two cool chicks from Participant Media, who produced the Academy Award nominated documentary Food Inc. If you have not seen it, rent, Netflix buy a copy ASAP.
Share your thoughts..