The Social Network for Charities

Can internet make the world better? Chris Hughes, one of the founder of Facebook and President Obama's chief digital campaign manager, seems to think so, as he has recently founded Jumo, a social network that "aims to connect people with nonprofits and charitable organizations." This project's journey to success is just beginning. Offering contact with a variety of non-profit organizations on a variety of issues - ranging from hunger to environmentalism to gay rights, the website is predicted to create one of the biggest volunteer bodies in the nation. Since most people already support various organizations through online donations, the transition will be easy. Plus, tons of user reviews on the charities will be available for people to see all over the world, which means more people will be able to find and to donate to causes they are passionate about - that is not to say that Jumo's main purpose is to solicit donations. It's not; it is really about "deepen[ing] ties between...users and their favorite causes." Success of a social network like that would mean not only that people would be able to stay connected but also that people would be helping the world - through donations, volunteerism, and activism. Finally, non-profits, even those that have not had the chance to advertise on large scale would be able to connect with their supporters. The potential is remarkable, but the question stands - will followers of non-profit organizations translate into volunteers and donors?