In August, the Demand Media Studios community teamed up with First Book to provide 15,149 brand new books to children from low-income families through the “Write for a Cause” program. For every eight articles that writers and editors at Demand Media Studios created, the company funded one new book through First Book. In just 18 days of writing for a cause, the team created a whopping 121,192 articles.
During the past year, three “Write for a Cause” campaigns have funded more than 40,000 books for kids who need them most. A big thank you goes out to the Demand Media Studios team for being a committed partner in our battle against illiteracy!
This weekend, I felt like I was in a beehive. All around me were swarms of black and yellow Tshirts, posters, and baseball caps. People buzzed about everywhere filling out registration forms or pinning on numbers. We were three thousand strong, and we were united.
“Livestrong” was created to raise money for cancer research, but a few days ago, it raised more than that. In all of the participants of the “Livestrong” Run, I saw hopes being raised. I saw awareness raised, and not just cancer awareness. I saw the idea that people can unite for the good of all come to life.
I had never before witnessed something like that. It was truly a sight.
When people join together, it makes them strong individually. Many think that the world can’t unite, but after seeing such a wonderful congregation at the Run, I disagree with the skeptics. Surely not one of us is perfect, but we all have the ability to put aside our differences to fight for what we believe in.
Does that still sound like a load of preschool garbage?
Let me explain.
Being a part of the fight against cancer was a liberating experience. I watched as people who had battled the disease crossed the finish line, and were handed a yellow rose for their achievement. That is something everyone needs to see in their lifetime.
This not-so-small-scale example of human unity and courage is enough to convince even the most skeptical person that we are all capable of joining hands across the nation and across the globe. And, in reaching out to others, we ourselves become better, more admirable, more confident people.
Do something, big or small, right now. Plan to join in the next charity run. Plant a tree. Donate some old clothes to a shelter. Anything that you do in your lifetime to help others enriches you tenfold.
Need some persuasion?
Try it out.
Guest blogger Yury Polnar is the Marketing Acquisitions Manager at Demand Media, an online community of freelance writers and copy editors that creates informative articles for popular websites like LIVESTRONG.com, eHow.com and many others.
Last December, more than 4,000 Demand Media freelance writers and copy editors put their fingers to keyboards around the country and kept busy writing for a cause. For every eight articles created that month, Demand Media agreed to donate one book to a child in need. And in the span of just one month, this talented and passionate group of writers and editors created enough articles to put 16,072 brand new books in the hands of thousands of children across the country!
Today, I’m happy to announce a two-week return of the “Write for a Cause” program. In partnership with First Book, we hope to help rewrite the future for thousands of underprivileged kids and empower the next generation of writers, editors, business owners and space explorers to reach the stars through adequate access to literature and other educational resources.
For more information about First Book’s partnership with Demand Media and how you can help, please click here. And to monitor the progress of this campaign, please visit the Write for a Cause Facebook page.
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