Care2's Digital Engagement Blog

For all the online petition naysayers out there here's a great example of how powerful online organizing is becoming. One of our petitions on Care2 has collected almost 2200 signatures. Not impressed? Well, what if I tell you this petition is urging the maximum sentence for a man who killed his ex-wife's dog in a town of 1,250 residents? The Twin Cities' Pioneer Press found it worth reporting on in the article How a dog's death was heard 'round the world: Wisconsin case shows the growing popularity of online petition drives.

This is brief case study from a test campaign run by Media Matters with Care2 in December of 2005 to oppose the contract renewal of CNN's commentator Bob Novak. They used a strategic combination of online messaging to bloggers, press releases, messages to thousands of Care2 members interested in Media and Culture, and offline action to maximize their impact. Five thousand Care2 members quickly signed the petition, which was then hand delivered to CNN. Three thousand of these Care2 members also joined Media Matters' mailing list, and Bob Novak did not return to CNN.

I stumbled across this article today on the Digital Divide Network site about social networking platforms and how they can benefit nonprofits.  It's always nice when someone catches on to how Care2 benefits nonprofits, since to date, we've really spent almost no money on marketing.

A Message to Care2's Neal Gorenflo from a Care2 Activist about how social networking led to collaborative action, and an example of the engaged citizens that Care2 attracts to its community (posted with permission):