Jackson Free Press

Want to make a difference but don't have a lot of time? Want to donate but don't know where or how much? Many local non-profits are addressing these issues by making it easier for donors and volunteers.

Last year Barack Obama's presidential campaign made history by using social media to gather small contributions of $5 to $20. More than 1 million contributors donated, with more than half donating for the first time to a political campaign.

Kitty Cook Ramsey, director of development at Mississippi Center for Non-profits, says that many non-profits are adopting this same model.

"The Obama campaign made people realize that $5 makes an impact, and his team communicated how that $5 impacted the campaign through social media," Cook says. "That's the big buzz right now for non-profits that are fundraising. There is a real focus on efforts to give a real return on people's investment and to make people and non-profits a cohesive organism."

Donating
Consider what you are most passionate about. Don't donate because you feel obligated' donate to a cause that you feel is a worthy endeavor. Visit http://www.guidestar.org to find financial information and services about the non-profit you want to support. Many non-profits offer payment and bank-draft programs to make donating easier.

Did you know?
Mississippi non-profits reported a total of $5,794,779,768 so far this year in revenue. In 2008 there were 12,512 public and 7,908 private charities in Mississippi. In 2003 Mississippi was ranked as the No. 1 state for most charitable contributions per capita. According to guidestar.com, 35 percent of non-profits reported a decrease in giving for the first nine months of 2008, while 64 percent have seen a demand for services.