Donate Formal Wear and Help Teens Have a Great Prom!

Submitted by Candice McLaughlin on Tue, 04/02/2013 - 3:42pm

Help an SCI Alum out! Leah Moschella is the founder of Boston GLOW, which fosters opportunities for women of all ages to become empowered community leaders and active world citizens!

Join the SCImpact Conversation

Submitted by Candice McLaughlin on Wed, 03/27/2013 - 3:30pm

We asked our guests at the SCI Social Capitalist Luncheon some questions to uncover how social capital is being raised in their communities. Even though the event has ended, we are continuing the conversation and we want to hear your thoughts!

To join in on the conversation, answer these questions below using the hashtag #SCImpact. 

Please answer the following questions by first tweeting the number of the question (i.e. A1), your response, and then #SCImpact:

For example: A1 People in Woburn connected via social media to raise $ for those in need of emergency fuel assistance this winter. #SCImpact

Q1 What's an interesting way people have connected in your community to address a local need?

Q2 Do you know your neighbors?

Q3 What community issue are you most passionate about?

Q4 What is something you have done to bring diverse people together?

Q5 Does your neighborhood have activities that bring people together?Read more

Lennon Insurance & Arbella Support SCI's Fuel Relief Efforts

Submitted by Candice McLaughlin on Fri, 03/22/2013 - 11:14am

Recently, SCI blogged about our efforts to meet a need in the community, a lack of emergency fuel assistance options for Woburn residents. This story gained increased attention in the community by being featured in local newspapers.

SCI was plesantly surprised by the donations that came in from local community members and businesses to support this effort. Due to the generous response, SCI has already helped four families to heat their homes this winter!

One of our biggest supporters has been Lennon Insurance Agency in Woburn and Arbella Insurance Group Charitable Foundation. They recently made several donations to local charities including SCI's fuel relief efforts. This story has been featured in the local newspapers as well. To read the full story, click here.Read more

50 More Ways To Build Social Capital

Submitted by Candice McLaughlin on Fri, 03/15/2013 - 3:04pm

Robert Putnam's Saguaro Seminar for Civic Engagement in America was the first to create a practical list of 150 Things You Can Do to Build Social Capital. At our past All Corps Day, SCI AmeriCorps members participated in a competitive brainstorming exercise to see which team could come up with the most ways to build social capital in the community. We took some of the groups' ideas that were not mentioned on Putnam's list to come up with our own list:

 

Presenting "50 More Ways to Build Social Capital"

 

1. Organize a scavenger hunt with employees or fellow church goers.

2. Organize a “tweet up” in your community.

3. Attend an outdoor concert in your community.

4. Eat a picnic lunch at a local park.

5. Offer to lead a class for people with developmental disabilities.

6. Go on a photo walk in your community.

7. Visit with senior citizens.

8. Go for walks with your dog at a dog park.

9. Advocate at the state house for a cause you support.

10. Take part in a rally.Read more

4 Keys to Nonprofit Social Media Success

Submitted by David B. Crowley on Fri, 03/15/2013 - 5:18am

Last week I had the difficult task of narrowing my list of tips for nonprofits using social media to three or four of the most important points. Presenting on the topic in the past, I've offered seven or more pointers that apply across social media platforms. But I knew the crowd at the Social Media 101 for Nonprofits I was presenting at Google Cambridge as part of a HandsOn Tech Boston workshop series would be eager to get into the details of how to use Facebook, Twitter and Google+ effectively. So I boiled my points down to three initially, but I really felt like my fourth point warranted its own category. These points were presented after talking about 6 Benefits to Nonprofits Using Social Media, which I blogged about last week. Enough prelude, on to my 4 Keys to Nonprofit Social Media Success!Read more