By Kate Atwood
Even if making New Year’s resolutions aren’t your thing, I think it’s good to take a moment and prioritize areas of your life you wish to improve upon or strengthen at the start of the year.
My hope is that somewhere on your list, or just on your mind, is a desire to get more involved in the community. While we ended 2010 with more people giving to charity than in recent years, it’s time to focus on how that can continue all year. The great news is that more tools are emerging to help make donations of time, mind, money and spirit more impactful and more rewarding.
Whether seeking to be a volunteer, an activist or a philanthropist, here are three new tools to keep an eye on in 2011:
MyImpact.org: Already an active volunteer? Check out MyImpact.org and start to track, share and measure your good works. This Twitter-based tool makes it easy to log your volunteer hours right on your phone and then follow your impact over time through a tracking timeline available online. This is especially useful for students who have to complete and report a certain amount of community service hours.
Jumo.org: Created by one of the co-founders of Facebook, this new online tool helps individuals connect to causes, follow the latest news and discover ways to offer support. If you want to be a part of a movement, this is your site. You can also see the causes that your friends are following and join the movement with them.
GiveBack.org: Another great tool that helps you become a better philanthropist is GiveBack.org. Being a philanthropist is no longer just for the super-wealthy; it’s for everyone. Start your giving power with just a few dollars, add money to your account online, and then give to your favorite charities as you wish. Plus, if you start your foundation now, tennis all-star Serena Williams will give you $5. Most importantly, 100 percent of your funds go to charity.
And I’ll close by congratulating all of Atlanta INtown’s 20 Under 20 honorees; you all are living by giving rock stars!
If you are looking for more ways get involved, be sure to follow Kate on Facebook and on Twitter at @KateAtwood.
