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CHARITY: Who would be willing...?
...to help me launch a new LJ community? Yes, I *know* there are a thousand out there and plenty of dead ones, but bear with me. This one would be dedicated to disaster relief in the nature of the silent auction I ran before - people post what they have, and give it away according to who donates the most to a marked charity.
Why a community? For three reasons:
1) This community would not be disaster specific. Instead of one for Katrina, one for Rita, and one for the earthquake, this would be established once and can be gone back to every time. Do an interest search for "charity donations" "donate charity" "charitable donations" and you don't get a lot; search on "charity" and you don't get a lot of disaster relief. Search on "disaster relief" and you get a lot of single-issue groups but none ready to swing into action whenever anything awful happens.
2) Communities are easier to advertise and ask people to join than a personal LJ; there would be no signal-to-noise problems because the community would be *only* for charitable offers.
3) The given readership of any one of us is pretty low, but a community could bring in many more interested parties, both as bidders and offerers. C'mon... don't you have a single book you read once and don't want that you'd be willing to drop in the mail? That blouse you never ever wear? That perfume that someone gave you that you don't like? Have a craft you like to do - can you knit a scarf, embroider a baby bib, make soap, quilt a pillow cover - that you could give up for a good cause?
My idea is to open a space where anyone who wishes can put up such auctions in quick response to anything. The auctions would run like this: You name what you're auctioning off and which charity you want the donations to go to. You mail the winner the item at your own expense (c'mon, a stamp or two isn't that much) when they send you proof of having made the donation.
Who's with me? And who has a clever name? C'mon y'all, I've got some really witty friends; if you don't want to donate money or goods, at least donate a name and a little advertising for the community.
Why a community? For three reasons:
1) This community would not be disaster specific. Instead of one for Katrina, one for Rita, and one for the earthquake, this would be established once and can be gone back to every time. Do an interest search for "charity donations" "donate charity" "charitable donations" and you don't get a lot; search on "charity" and you don't get a lot of disaster relief. Search on "disaster relief" and you get a lot of single-issue groups but none ready to swing into action whenever anything awful happens.
2) Communities are easier to advertise and ask people to join than a personal LJ; there would be no signal-to-noise problems because the community would be *only* for charitable offers.
3) The given readership of any one of us is pretty low, but a community could bring in many more interested parties, both as bidders and offerers. C'mon... don't you have a single book you read once and don't want that you'd be willing to drop in the mail? That blouse you never ever wear? That perfume that someone gave you that you don't like? Have a craft you like to do - can you knit a scarf, embroider a baby bib, make soap, quilt a pillow cover - that you could give up for a good cause?
My idea is to open a space where anyone who wishes can put up such auctions in quick response to anything. The auctions would run like this: You name what you're auctioning off and which charity you want the donations to go to. You mail the winner the item at your own expense (c'mon, a stamp or two isn't that much) when they send you proof of having made the donation.
Who's with me? And who has a clever name? C'mon y'all, I've got some really witty friends; if you don't want to donate money or goods, at least donate a name and a little advertising for the community.
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All we need now is a name, *grumble*mutter*
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1) I'm hoping to create something that depends on offering things that already exist rather than "I will create x for y." (I say this mostly because while the intentions are wonderful, it has been my personal experience that followup is pretty random.)
2a) I'm hoping to make this as inclusive as possible - not just fans, but also quilters trading fabric, rennies trading garb, theater buffs trading scripts, etc. The more the merrier and the more effective, particularly if...
2b) ...Professionals as well as fans join up. I've already talked with an author/editor offline who is willing to both donate books and advertise in her circles.