Do You Give Good Blog?

This past Christmas, I found myself surrounded by stuff. Stuff to keep, stuff to eat, stuff to give away, stuff to review, lots and lots of stuff and lots and lots of promises of more stuff. And I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't kinda cool. It is nice to get stuff. I like stuff.

But like most bloggers - I would venture to say, like most persons living in the developed, Western world - I have a surplus of stuff. Even in a recession, I have a surplus of stuff. More than that: I have a surplus of good fortune.

So I asked myself, some weeks before Christmas, as I contemplated the good fortune that has attended my blogging career: faced with an overabundance of gifts and giveaways and assorted virtual what-nots, WHAT WOULD LINUS DO? You know, the thoughtful little boy who encourages Charlie Brown to look beyond the trappings of glitz and sparkle and stuff each Christmas, to find its true meaning, which has something to do with love and generosity? What would HE do? Besides read excerpts from the Gospel of Luke, that is, which, face it, is lovely but not all that interesting once you've heard it six bajillion times.

And I came up with this: I decided give away a portion of everything that I receive for online giveaways, which is to say, I decided to give away some share of the stuff that I receive to someone who needs it more than me or the Internets. For example - as I explained here - I decided to take multiples of toy-type stuff to a toy drive or shelter, and with giveaway or review materials that are not toy drive appropriate, I am going to purchase toys in lieu of those products and my children and I will take them, together, to the toy drive so that they can be passed on to other, needier children and families. So that they can see how wonderful it is to give. I also decided that I would amend my advertising and review policies for my personal blog, and make a commitment to always asking companies that approach me for advertising or reviews to consider offering charitable donations and/or extra products for me to donate to charity.

I will continue to do giveaways and the like at Her Bad Mother and at WeCovet because, let's face it, they're fun and they draw traffic. And traffic means attention which means an opportunity to plug good causes and to get other people to think about good causes and paying it forward. Which is what this is all about, really. PAYING FORWARD our good fortune, blog-related or otherwise. But for every giveaway, there's a GIVE GOOD BLOG catch: for example, commenters must mention a charity or cause that they support, and I make a donation to that charity - a tithe of my ad revenue for the month - on behalf of the winning person. Or, they simply explain what they're going to do pay their good fortune forward if they win. Or even if they don't.

So here's my project: I want everyone to do this, or something like this, or even just something that is in this spirit. And I want everyone to do it a lot.

How do you participate?

If you have a blog, and are running giveaways, do something similar - set aside one of those giveaways to give to a local family that might appreciate the boost in these difficult times, or take it to a toy drive, or invite your readers to comment to win a donation to a charity of their choice. Ask your readers to comment about what they'll do to pay forward. Ask companies that approach you for advertising/reviews/giveaways if they'll consider making a charitable donation in addition to offering a giveway or posting an ad or whatever. Ask them if they can offer an extra giveaway item, to be donated to someone who needs it. (See examples of what I've done here and here and here and here.)

If you don't do giveaways or reviews or private advertising at your blog, you can still take part. Just make a commitment to writing, at least once a month, about what you're doing in your own life to pay your good fortune forward. Write about the little things that you're teaching your children to do to make the world a better place. Write about your favorite charity, or about the little old lady whose sidewalk you shovel every winter. Just write about some little thing that you do to make the world a better place. It can be as simple as a two-line post that says today, I smiled at a stranger and they smiled back and we were both the happier for it.

That's all. Just make a commitment to Give Good Blog, and then do it.

Once a month, I'll compile the links, and post them here (and promote from Her Bad Mother and BlogHersAct Canada). I'll also do regular features here on bloggers who take up this challenge, and on companies or organizations that support this project, and periodically (monthly) choose one such feature to post at Her Bad Mother. (Leave links to your posts at this site, or e-mail them to me at givegoodblog at gmail dot com)

Just do it, 'kay? Linus would approve.

BUTTONZ! STEALS U SUM BUTTONZ!

 

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Comments

[Mary M.@ Holy Mackerel]

What a wonderful idea! I'm in.

[daysgoby]

Fabulous! I'd love to participate.

[Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas]

So I'm American born, but half-Canadian. Can I still play in your sandbox?

[kittenpie]

Hmmm. I don't do ads or reviews, but I like the idea of paying forward good fortune when entering a contest. I am most certainly in for that.

[Her Bad Mother]

F&P - you emphatically do NOT have to be Canadian!

[MommyNamedApril]

i haven't done any giveaways, but will be sure to keep this in mind if i do!!!!

[Booba-Juice]

I don't have giveaways, and I don't really even have that many people that read my blog, but I am in. And I am excited about it!

[WhyMommy]

I'm in. All in.

[Kim]

Sure, I'm in. I don't do giveaways, but like to give regardless. I'm going to steal the widget.

[Haley-O]

I have a big giveaway coming up. In addition to the two prizes, which the company (they actually support my causes -- which is why I promote them each year) is giving away to readers, I'll offer a third-place canadahelps charity card. I hope that gives good blog?

Thanks for doing this....

[Jennie @ KC Rules]

Awesome idea. My blog isn't well-known. I don't advertise or do giveaways, but I love the idea of giving back. Especially now that I have a daughter to teach and mentor. I'm going to dedicate time to post regularly about such things. Thanks!

[mamalang]

I haven't had any give aways, but I can definitely write about helping out and paying it forward. Thanks for the kick in the butt!

[Wilma Ham]

Beautiful initiative. I too don't get give aways either, however it is a great way to keep the good going via cyberspace.

[slugs on the refrigerator]

Wow! I am in...what a lovely way to give back.

[PositivelyAnna]

Thanks you for setting such a wonderful example for all bloggers. I wrote a post a while back about a friend who was trying to raise money for Ulcerative Colitis, because her brother had just been diagnosed. The outpouring of support and donations from my readers touched both her and me.

[Anjie Henley]

I have been elfing / raok'ing for years....... I love this concept have added your button on my blog and will be staying true to the cause(s)
GIVING BACK
and
PAYING IT FORWARD

in the past 7 years I have given over $40,000 in prizes of cash & kind to organizations, individuals, list members, moderators and neighbors due to my main website newsletter and now my blog.

THANKS TO BEING A SAVINGS SPECIALIST I AM ALSO A RAOK ELF TOO! oh yea and "the coupon fairy" and "webqueen"

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA TWITTER, BLOG OR WEBSITE IF YOU WANT TO NETWORK FURTHER ON THIS AND LIKE PROJECTS!

[Casie Stewart]

Awesome idea!! Have you heard of http://dailychallenge.ord They'd be all over this idea. I'm a blogger too http://casiestewart.com Time give some stuff AWAY!!

[Rebecca]

I'm in....sign me up!!! WHat a wonderful idea