Just six hours old, Tali Shokek?s second fundraising effort was already going better than her first.
The 28-year-old psychologist from Baltimore has Parkinson?s disease, and last year sought to raise funds for the Parkinson?s Foundation by participating in the Unity Walk in New York City.
In 2006 she had raised $100 in pledges from friends and family. For her second effort, she aimed for $1,000 and created a profile on Baltimore-based RealityCharity.com, posting pictures, her story, and directing friends and family from other social networking sites to the page.
Her page went up late that night. The next morning, Shokek said her cause had already received $500 in donations.
“I was shocked at who donated, people from my graduate program who I wasn?t that close to,” Shokek said. “Having a name and a face and a story I?d written about living with Parkinson?s, I think that touched a lot of people.”
Shokek was among the first to use RealityCharity.com, a first-of-its-kind Web site started last April that lets individuals or organizations post content and turn their social networks into fundraising platforms.
As the site approaches its first anniversary, founder AlexanderBlass said 1,200 campaigns have been started, exceeding his first-year goal of 1,000.
“It?s been an extraordinary response,” Blass said. “We?re really just very moved by the response from the global community. It?s just a testament to how people are excited about giving.”
Blass said he doesn?t think the site?s second year will be derailed by worsening economic conditions.
“We actually don?t see evidence of that in our space,” he said. “Giving is all about a personal connection, getting donors to be moved and to sympathize with organizations and individuals in need.”
John Valenti, of Bel Air, sought out donations through the Web site when his son was diagnosed with leukemia and he took time off from work to care for him.
“It?s a difficult thing to tell people that you need money,” he said. “We got a very strong response.”
