by kerriebrynn
You voted. You tweeted. You facebooked it. You voted some more. You Named Your Cause! It was an exciting race to the finish line, but you can rest easy now knowing all your hard-earned clicks have truly paid off. First place and a $2,500 eBay Gift Card went to Friends of Colombian Orphans, a small grassroots non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of Colombian Orphans, who attributed their amazing win to “The power of social media, combined with nagging and a track record of integrity and passion for a cause.” The Jonah Project won second place with $2,000 to shell out on eBay, which they’ll put to use in their efforts to help the homeless community on the streets on Skid Row in Los Angeles. And last but definitely not least, To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), a non-profit all about finding hope and help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide, closed the gap from top ten to 3rd place and won themselves a $1,000 eBay Gift Card.
So now what?
I’m a sucker for a follow up. Especially because these charities can offer their wisdom to other charities who may be afraid or hesitant to enter unfamiliar territories like Name Your Cause that are – let’s be honest – heavily reliant on using social media to spread the word. So, WhatGives!? What are the winners going to do with all that eBay dough? What were their strategies? Tell us your secrets, oh wise charities!
- Chloe Grabanski, Benefit Coordinator for
To Write Love On Her Arms
Chloe Grabanski works as Benefit Coordinator for TWLOHA – running their Street Team, handling mail donations, training new interns, and events. Lucky for us, she was so enthusiastic about their win that she happily answered all my questions, and then some! For starters, Chloe says that they plan on using the eBay money to fund office supplies which, as mundane as it may sound, is totally necessary for an organization boasting 50K followers on Twitter, 600K on Facebook Causes, and over 350K MySpace friends. So how did they win? Although they entered late in the game, Chloe says they couldn’t have done it without the use of their social networks, including their Street Team, Twitter Page, and Facebook Cause Page, which really helped to rally everyone. When I asked how TWLOHA felt about their huge networks doing so much good, she told me “We feel so fortunate to have the following we do. We want people to feel connected, and know that they are important, and that their stories matter. It’s a blessing to know people believe in what we’re doing.” Humble and appreciative? Wow, no wonder these guys have so many passionate followers! 
A huge thank you to WorldofGood.com by eBay making this contest possible. And even more importantly, thanks to all of you for getting so into it! You did something good. We’re telling people about it. Now, get out there and do it again!!
Hey, all you Orlando area people, listen up! If you’re looking for a night of crazy good music that also benefits a crazy good cause, then support our friends at TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS by checking out their event Heavy and Light 2010 this Saturday, January 9that the House of Blues Orlando. The night will feature an amazing array of indie, rock, and alternative talents, and promises to be an “evening of songs, conversation and hope”. Mat Kearney, Aaron Gillespie of Underoath / The Almost, Bryce Avary of The Rocket Summer, Stephen Christian of Anberlin, Aaron Marsh of Copeland, Zach Williams, Damion Suomi, and Anis Mojgani (here on YouTube; he is amazing!) will all be there to support this great charity that helps fight depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide.
