The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has stirred up supporters and naysayers of nonprofit marketing tactics through countless Facebook posts, news pieces and celebrity endorsements. Are we perpetuating “slacktivism” where participants are no more knowledgeable of or actionable to a campaign’s true message? Is ALS a critical illness worth all of the fuss, or are we just wasting water?

Regardless of where you stand, this one hashtag has contributed to a rise in philanthropic giving, especially among the millennial generation [1]. In fact, the ALS has raised over $12 million for ALS over the past 6 weeks [2]. (I think we can all agree this is positive)

How do we sustain this level of philanthropic giving among young people? I foresee several more social media hashtag campaigns that will grow and further the mission of amazing organizations across the country. But we need to do more to sustain interest and involvement in our causes for the long run. What if some of the young people who dumped water on their head and/or donated a few dollars to ALS decided to donated their time to volunteer (through AmeriCorps or self-stipend)?

Of course, there are many ways to show your support for a cause. However, think about how a year of service with ALS could make a difference for both the individual and the organization:

• ALS would gain organizational support that allows them to grow sustainably and organize more viral fundraisers.
• The volunteer would learn more about ALS and about themselves and their skillset as a young professional.
• The volunteer would donate more money to ALS, their alma mater, and other organizations and causes they care about… for the rest of their lives.
• The volunteer will go on to be a leader in industry, politics or activism that carries a true understanding of one specific social issue (ALS) and all the systemic issues surrounding it (health insurance, access to research dollars, etc)– when leaders understand a problem they can solve the problem.

Just something to think about…#DumpAndDonate

1. http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/ice-bucket-challenge-081914.html
2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2014/08/20/could-the-irs-disallow-ice-bucket-challenge-charitable-contributions/
3. http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2014/08/19/think-the-ice-bucket-challenge-is-stupid-youre-wrong/