A Personal Call To Service

Okay, I've been pushing the Administration Summer of Service/United We Serve thing, particularly AllForGood.org, which is pretty much the "craigslist for service."

Like most humans, I'd like to save the world, but I figure I need a nap.

So, I figured it'd be much easier to talk you into doing it, by talking up the efforts of people who are really effective at helping others.

That is, I might as well find people are good at getting stuff done in areas that somehow matter to me, that might have large scale impact. That's a tough role for me; as a nerd, I prefer to actually do things, rather than just talk about them. However, everyone tells me that what they really need is for me to forgo the thing-doer role, and be a talker-abouter.

Specifically, they say they need a bunch of humans to bear witness for them, talking about what they do, and then talking more about them.

I do see that Americans have always wanted to give others a break, that is, to serve. Some do so full time, in the Armed Forces, Peace Corps, teachers, cops, firemen, social workers, and a lot of other "helping professions."

Most of us have conventional full-time jobs with a little extra time to help out, and a lot of us devote some of that time to volunteering, or would like to. If you're in the mood to volunteer, just need to find something nearby, we just got something new launched relating to United We Serve and serve.gov, it's AllForGood.org. That's pretty much the "craigslist for service" Obama and Colin Powell cited last year.

Please remember that many Americans struggle to get through the day, maybe working two or three jobs to put kids through school. Far as I'm concerned, that's public service.

I take all this seriously, figuring that if someone is going to help out our general community, our nation, our world, I should help in the ways I can do best. As a nerd, it feels surreal, but people tell me they need advice regarding tech and social media, but mostly, they need me to be a talker-abouter. That way I can be force-multiplier.

Just a few examples:

-- working with the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, iava.org, these are the folks who helped get the new GI Bill passed, and much better treatment of veterans, including getting back pay and better funding for the Veterans Administration.

-- Sunlight Foundation is the leader of the movement for getting real accountability and transparency for government all across the US. The deal is that they get online the information which shows how government really operates.

-- Consumers Union, best known for Consumer Reports, but is also very much in the vanguard pushing for realistic health care reform. I tell 'em that refrigerator reviews are really good for people, but if you want to ease the suffering of millions, health care reform is where it's at.

I've joined the board of all three; what they mostly want and get from me: help with tech and social media, and then getting the word out on what they do, and then getting the word out more.

I'll be asking a lot more of you, but for now, check out:
allforgood.org
iava.org
sunlightfoundation.com
consumersunion.org

Follow Craig Newmark on Twitter: www.twitter.com/craignewmark

Comments

[Dennis McDonald]

Don't forget about existing community based organizations that have been involved with volunteer work for many many years, for example, one such organization in Alexandria Virginia is Volunteer Alexandria (http://volunteeralexandria.org/).

Dennis McDonald
Alexandria VA
http://www.ddmcd.com
http://ddmcd.posterous.com/

[Dennis McDonald]

This comment appeared on Facebook before it appeared here!

[ChiProgressive]

Good article; you just forgot to mention AmeriCorps.

[pokemon]

I joined the ARNG as an officer after 15 years out, wanted to help the country some more.. Plus the damn Republicans stole my retirement so I needed a second job.

[Eli Davidson - Huffpost Blogger]

Service is the key to a better life AND a better world. I see this time and time again.

Only when we come together as a family of man can we make the change that we need in our nation and our world.

Love,
Eli

[WeWon]

Thanks Craig. If you can provide a free service to millions of Americans the LEAST we can do is give these org's a look and think about volunteering.

[zagyzebra]

You are a true humanitarian and leveler of playing fields. We are fortunate to have your contributions in this world.

[angry expat]

You should start serving the people of the US by closing your piece of garbage web site, which does more harm than good.

[independentrepublicrat]

LOL! Tell us how you really feel.

[nelldd]

Good for you, Craig - it's tough to figure out what we're best at, and then how we can be most useful! You've done both, and are now doing it! Bravo :) I know that your talking-about was very useful for the organization I work for, so keep that up!

I agree about the American inclination to serve. Having worked in non-profits, and managed American volunteers, what I most appreciate about this aspect of our national identity is the self-interest. That might sound counter-intuitive, but an important part of what keeps me going, other than warm fuzzies, is everything I learn from the 'service' I do. I learn about myself, other people and cultures, new languages, how to do things with nothing, new ways to do things, reasons not to do things I would have done, and so on...

And I see the same hunger to learn motivating other volunteers - not just Americans but other young people around the world. I guess that's the secret to 'service learning,' which is blossoming these days!

Many wise folks have said that all successful partnerships must offer both partners something they want. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, right? I have definitely seen this to be true with service: come help build a house or read with a kid because you'll learn something!

Do you (Craig, and other servers out there!) find this to be true? What do you get out of force-multiplying or thing-doing?