Blog

(Editor's note:  We've been a big fan of TheCommon.org for awhile now.  Churches have a heart to serve people in need in their community.  But often times churches miss out on service opportunities because they don't have an efficient way to connect eager volunteers with the person who needs help.  That's where TheCommon.org comes in.  We asked Jay Kroll, Director of Education and Growth at TheCommon.org, to write a guest blog for us about the service.  Don't worry, this isn't a paid advertisement or anything -- it's just a service we believe in.)

The idea for TheCommon.org started with a need. Actually it started as a list; an extremely inefficient list of things people needed help with, being communicated to a huge audience of people who "might be able to help." You see, every community, regardless of its defining features or purpose, has both needs and abilities. And we've found that, generally, people want to help each other. But the process of connecting these needs with the people who want to help is severely broken.

So we asked ourselves, "What if there were a better way for people help each other?" Not just another piece of software or a place to share photos, but a movement and a connecting point—something that has true value to the community. Something that can embrace both philanthropy and simplicity.

Connecting people looks like a huge, complex system in most communities. You have an entire ecosystem that is dependent upon a central system of administration to drive service, outreach, care. And your system is then limited by the capacity of that individual or team.

But when you open communication—when you allow your community to connect directly with those opportunities—those limits go away. Not only that, you empower people with a tangible way to share ownership in both the mission and growth of the community.

So, what happens when people have easier access to the needs in their community and partner communities through blending?  They receive the help they need. You can see on our Twitter feed as each request gets filled. See when a 73-year-old woman recieves help packing boxes, or a guy down the street gets help with his car repair. They show the stories of connections made and the good that is right there waiting to be done.

We would love for you to test drive it in your community. For a limited time, we are extending a free 60 day trial--we are excited to see what uses you find for this powerful connecting tool in your community! Just go to TheCommon.org and enter the code "Connecting101" when you register your community account. Add members to your movement and partner with other communities. It's simple to get started, and with plans based on the size of your volunteer group, it's affordable as well.

Here's a quick look at how the site works:

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at hello@thecommon.org.