[ COMMUNITY IMPACT ]
USING THE POWER OF
SOCIAL MEDIA TO SUPPORT THE LRF MISSION
In our increasingly interconnected world, people are using social media to support nonprofits—how can you make the biggest impact? When the first-ever telethon was hosted in 1949, the idea of pledging charitable donations over the phone was new, but caught on quickly—helping nonprofits raise billions of dollars for their cause. Who knew the “social” giving of yesteryear would become the highspeed, super-connected network it is today? According to Fast Company, online giving—donations for charities made through websites, social media and apps—is growing quickly. Donations made online rose 17 percent between 2016 and 2019, to over $34 billion. Some 8.5 percent of all U.S. charitable donations, including grants from foundations and gifts from people and companies, are made through websites, social media and apps. SOCIAL MEDIA RISING With seven out of 10 people using at least one social media account, social media has become a one-stop shop for connecting with friends and family and supporting nonprofits. Last year, nonprofits received more than $125 million via Facebook on GivingTuesday, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving and Black Friday that is devoted to giving back to charity. This year, GivingTuesday—which has become a global day of social giving— raised more than $500 million online and $1.97 billion across all mediums, according to its website.
PULSE | WINTER EDITION 2020
Facebook is a rising destination to celebrate birthdays and support users’ charities of choice. According to Facebook, the platform has raised more than $2 billion through its giving tools for nonprofits and personal causes since 2015, half of which came from the birthday fundraising program, which launched in 2017. For the Lymphoma Research Foundation, Facebook is an exciting frontier and is making it easier for supporters to join the Team LRF Fundraise Your Way program, connect with their existing network of friends and family, and fundraise.
Facebook has raised more than $2 billion for nonprofit and personal causes through its giving tools
