idealist.org

Moving from Good Intentions to Action

By Celeste Hamilton, who works from Idealist's Buenos Aires office.


From Beth Kanter/cambodia4kidsorg via Flickr Creative Commons Last week, we launched a new global network of idealists – people who believe there's more all of us can do to move from good intentions to action.

A lot of people agree—10,086 people from 159 countries and counting—and since the launch I've been the person they can contact when they want to share an idea, suggestion and/or story related to this initiative.

One wonderful story came from Sally Smith in Washington, D.C. Last Christmas, Sally was unable to afford a plane ticket home to Texas and instead decided to stick around the city to lend a hand. She posted an ad on Craigslist looking for others to volunteer with her and within hours, Washingtonians from all different ages, backgrounds and experiences responded. Over the course of two days, 100 random strangers participated in five events, including giving gifts to patients at the local Veteran's hospital and handing out clothes and blankets to the homeless.

Sally's story is great example of the power of technology to bring people together face-to-face, and I love how a simple online ad encouraged people to move from their intentions to action. If you have time off this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving and you're thinking about adding some goodwill to your gobble, why not follow Sally's lead? You can search Idealist's database of volunteer opportunities or browse the profiles of people in your area to find company. You never know – there might be someone in the apartment above yours who would be thankful for the chance to spread a little holiday cheer.