The charitable freelancer

While so many posts revolve around pricing and estimating or finding freelance jobs, today I want to step back and discuss something that can help freelancers maintain a sense of perspective and purpose: working on charitable or non profit projects. For the new freelancer, being a charitable freelancer can be a way of building a portfolio; even for us oldsters, it’s a way to give back—and remind us of how our talents can be applied beyond the usual bounds of the page.

One of the organizations I’ve worked with over the years is the Annual Baby Diaper Drive. The short story is that they help families served by Homeward Bound, which assists homeless and domestic violence families with children throughout the greater Phoenix area. They’re in the last few days of their annual fund drive, shooting for a goal of 200,000 diapers (!) and $75,000 for their Emergency Fund Drive. (You may not know—I didn’t—that food stamps don’t cover most baby necessities, such as diapers, baby wipes, and formula.) It’s a great cause, and I’m proud to call them my friends.

Which brings me to my second point: an overdue thank you to author, speaker, coach and internet radio show host Susan Rich. I connected to her through a Facebook connection with a longtime colleague, and she was kind enough to feature the Baby Diaper Drive on one of her radio segments, as well as putting together a PSA video on YouTube.

Do You Have a Charitable Organization You Want Featured?

What’s really neat, and way above and beyond the charitable norm, is that Susan and her co-host Annemarie Schuetz are telling listeners about smaller, under-funded non profit agencies—one a day, five days a week, for all of 2013! Download their PSA Project Press Release for all the details on how you can spread the good word about a charity on behalf of clients or friends.

You can hear Susan Rich Talks! live weekdays, 9 am PT/Noon ET on All Women’s Radio—they’ve always got interesting, diverse guests.

While we’re in the giving-back mode…Are you a charitable freelancer? In the comments, please feel free to share a plug, link or story about your favorite non profit or charitable organization that you’ve worked with as a freelancer!