Copy of Create-a-Thon, Hackathon, Make-a-Thon & Social Entrepreneur Startups

Would you like to make the world a better place? Do you like to: Solve Problems? Help People? Make a Positive Difference? Be Creative? Have Fun? Meet Like-Minded People who have Similar Interests? Do you have a good idea or a Community Project that you would like help on? Would you like to use your skills to help others' good ideas become a reality & help our community? If you answered "Yes" then this FREE event is for you! You are cordially invited to our community Create-a-Thon, Hackathon, Make-a-Thon &  Social Entrepreneur Startup Event at Mesa Main Library 2nd Floor in the Saguaro Room. Questions? Please contact us as this is Not a Library program...they are just kind enough to host this Community Project Accelerator volunteer run event.

Who do you know that might also be interested? Please share this invitation to be part this event that will have a positive impact on our community. You may also make a Video "Commercial" for your project and write a synopsis of the idea along with what you need to make it happen. There will be "Virtual Volunteers" helping projects online via Twitter & Facebook from home and in other states. Please follow our new Facebook page to get information on how to be a "Virtual Volunteer" even if you cannot be with us in person on the day of the Create-a-Thon. Please scroll down to see the Community Projects that have already been proposed. Let's see how much good we can do in a single day! Together we can make a difference!

WHAT IS A CREATE-A-THON, HACKATHON, MAKE-A-THON?

Think of it as helping to bring a good idea to life. This Create-a-Thon event is a Community Project Acccelerator. This is a chance to share your ideas, information, resources or skills to help move a community project forward. Propose an idea or pitch your own Community Project and receive help from others. Or, find a project that interests you and help out where you can on any of the projects listed below. 

There will be several tables, or "stations", available for each of the projects that need help. You can "visit" and help as many community projects as you wish or find a project that interests you and help out for a few minutes, a few hours or the entire day! Come learn new skills, share ideas, connect with new people & make a positive impact on your community by helping a Community Project.

OVERVIEW OF COMMUNITY PROJECTS

We will be working on Community Projects that help Animals, Seniors, Veterans, Families, the Environment & Sustainability. We are brainstorming  & giving feedback on projects related to Social Media Marketing, Creative Arts Projects, Games for Good, Health Tech, Edu Tech, AI, ML, VR, AR, Big Data, Drone Use for Good, Green Tech & Sustainability issues. We need all skills. We need you! :-)  Let's get together and see what happens! Together we can make a difference! :-) Please come and share your skills for a few hours or all day.

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SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY--PROJECT OPTIONS ARE LISTED BELOW

9:00-9:30 Participant Introductions: Meet the Individuals & Organizations Attending. Connect with like-minded people & local schools, startups & nonprofit organizations that need your help. 

9:30-10:30 Select an Idea or Community Project to Help or Pitch your Own  Idea or Project to all Attendees and Invite them to give Feedback, Resources, Ideas and/or Help to Work on Your Specific Project Today (Please be sure to include who your project will help, how it will make a difference, what specific type of help you need and what "deliverable", or finished product, you would like to go home with today.) 

3 Options for 10:30-11:30:

10:30-11:30  Begin Work on the Community Project  that interests you.  Collect a Team of Volunteers and begin sharing ideas & information that will help to move the project forward. 

10:30-11:30  Guest Speaker:  How to Use Social Media Marketing to Increase Awareness about Your Cause and Gain Volunteers, Donations & Needed Funds

10:30-11:30  Create a Marketing & Social Media Marketing Plan that Benefits all Nonprofits. We are going to work on a strategy to get more people in Maricopa County to Volunteer, Donate Items, Donate Services, Donate Professional Skills and Donate Funds. The end of the year is a great time to ask for donations before the tax year is over. The New Year is a great time to get new volunteers & donations of items as many people make New Year's Resolutions to be more active in their community and de-clutter their home of unwanted items.

4 Options 11:30-1:30:

11:30-1:30 Continue Working on the Community Project you have been working on or choose another.

11:30-1:30 Work on Strategies for Reaching all Volunteers and also specific volunteers: retirees, homebound seniors, teens, families, groups of employees from companies, etc. Design an outreach & recruitment strategy.

11:30-1:30 Work on Creating a Donation System that benefits all small nonprofits. Help to figure out how to increase donated items and get them to the exact nonprofits that need them. Help to create a technological solution to how donors can let us know there is a pick up and also a tracking system so that we know what items are at which storage location.

11:30-1:30 Work on Fundraising Ideas. Brainstorm multiple fundraising ideas and create a master list of fundraising ideas. Which ideas hold the most promise? Begin planning on a major fundraising idea that all of the nonprofits present can participate in.

Continue Working on all Projects from 1:30-3:00. Finalize a plan along with the next steps and what you need to move forward. There will also be the option for all organizations to come together to create traditional marketing & social media marketing strategies designed to create awarness for their specific cause and promote the needs & special events of all organizations that serve Animals, Veterans, Seniors, the Environment, etc. It is your choice of projects! FYI---We hope to create volunteer marketing teams & social media marketing teams for each of those of us who want to continue to help after the Creatathon! :-)

3:00-4:45 Present Your Finished Community Project for the day. What did you accomplish? What are the next steps? What kind of resources & help do you need to move forward?

4:45-5:00  Networking & Thank You! 

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FEATURED COMMUNITY PROJECTS---REQUESTS FOR HELP AT THE EVENT---DETAILS ON PROJECTS

The "Create-a-Thon" is a Community Project Accelerator. We have projects for creatives, hackers, techies, makers, business people, nonprofits, educators, scientists, artists, social service employees and policy makers. Who do you know that may want to attend? Please help make this event a success for our community by sharing this invitation with your friends, family, colleagues and your social media channels. Who do you know thay may like to help during the Creatathon? More Featured Projects are being added or you may propose your own on the day of the event. Here are the Current Community Projects that Need your Help!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION---MORE COMMUNITY PROJECTS COMING SOON!  Thanks for your patience!

Project 1---Health System Discussion & Health Technology ideas. We need people of all backgrounds to share their experience navigating the health system. What does and does not work? What is more difficult than it needs to be?  Get Feedack or Create New Products, Services or Apps. Example of One project proposed already: How might we use technology to help solve the Opioid Epidemic? How can we make it easier to "navigate the system" so that more people can find the needed treatment & prevent relapse?  

Project 2---Education System Discussion & Education Technology Ideas. What needs to change? Get Feedack on Ideas or Create New Products, Policies, Services or Apps. Example of One project proposed already:  How might we use technology or other programs to even the playing field for less well funded Title 1 schools? How can we offer a better educational experience with current funding? How can businesses, nonprofits and others help?

Project 3---Green Technology & Sustainability Ideas. Get Feedack or Create New Products, Policies, Services, Apps or Marketing Campaigns.   Example of 3 projects proposed already: How can we make Arizona into a solar & alternative energy powerhouse? How might we make Arizona a destination for Ecotourism and Sustainability Tourism where people from around the world visit to learn from our Sustainable Businesses, Schools, Faith Communities & Government Agencies? How might we use technology, public policy and social media marketing to divert items that are now going to landfills? How can we drastically reduce the use of single use plastic? How might we use technology to reward businesses that use sustainable practices and how can we share their innovations with other businesses? Please bring your own Sustainability ideas to share.

Project 4---Social Media Marketing & Traditional Marketing Campaigns---Help design a stragegy & craft a message that will help all small nonprofits that Help Animals or Veterans or Seniors or the Environment, etc. Small, volunteer run nonprofits seldom get the volunteers, donated items and funding they need to fulfill their mission... even though they are very "lean" and have almost no overhead administrative costs. Let's work together to develop a creative public awareness and an innovative marketing campaign that drives people to nonprofits where their volunteer hour & their donated hour has the most impact and does the most good for those being helped! There is also the opportunity to continue to volunteer after the Creatathon and join one of the Volunteer Marketing & Social Media Marketing Teams that market on behalf of all the small nonprofits serving a specific segment (Veterans, Animals, Seniors, etc.).

Project 5---Games for Good. Let's work together to create games that help causes. Let's use gamification to teach information & increase cause awareness. For instance,  one nonprofit is requesting help creating a game where different avatars have to search out and aquire the exact items they would need to help them be prepared for a disaster.

Project 6---Online Donation System Flow & Supply Chain Management--We need technology help to make it easier for a company or person who wants to donate an item.  We need a method of geolocation that also sends a message to volunteers that a donation pick up is needed. (something like Let Go or Uber?). We also need to track which items are in which warehouse and which nonprofit needs the item delivered. This is a very complicated problem to solve

Project 7---How might we Create Events & Opportunities where People with Differing Values, Beliefs & Backgrounds May Come Together to Have Constructive, Civil Conversations & Come to Understand each other? 

Project 8---How might we decrease Food Waste and Solve the problem of Food Deserts?

Project 9---How might we use technology, sensors, products or new services to allow people to Age In Place and stay in their homes and be independent longer? Get Feedack or Create New Products Services or Apps.

Project 10---How might we use public art, pop-up theater, music and other creative means to create empathy for and awareness of various important causes? For instance, one nonprofit named Earth Art wants to discover, cultivate, and promote ways to entertain, educate, and engage audiences in diverse communities though creative methods. How might we increase participation in supporting local art, music & theater? How might we partner with musicians, artists and arts & crafts enthusiasts to raise funds for worthy causes? 

Project 11--How can we create are more welcoming community where returning Veterans can reconnect, build a new community of support and share their great skills to make a meaningful positive difference? One project possibility is the "Veteran Green Team" project where we raise money to send teams of Veterans to create needed projects in our state & national parks.

Project 12---How might we use Videos, Short Documentaries, Photo Displays to increase awareness about causes and draw attention to small nonprofits that deserve attention because they do great work? Do  any Videographers or Photographers want to volunteer to work with local nonprofits on this project? Brainstorm Projects & Get Feedback

Project 13---How Might we Help Foster Kids who age out of their group homes? How might we help "Disconnected Youth" or "Opportunity Youth" to plug into their community in a positive way and get traction in life? How can we inspire a love for S.T.E.M. and promote participation in Citizen Science projects? What are the teen volunteer opportunities available that will help them to become positive members of their community, learn good work skills and gain new skills? Let's explore how to increase opportunites for apprenticeships to learn new skills.

Project 14---How might we decrease the amount of items that go into the landfill & divert the items to the nonprofits that need them or to appropriate waste disposal options that are kinder to the environment? How can we encourage donations of reusable items? How can we decrease use of single use plastic bags and other plastic items? How can we encourage composting and other diversion from landfills? Help us find a way to make donations of prepared food from restaurants, big meetings and conventions?

Project 15---New Shelter for Multiple Animal Rescues---We need your help! We are Creating a Co-Working Space with room for theanimal  kennels of several Animal Rescues that share overhead costs so that they can save money and help more animals.---Help Needed: Business Plan, Site Build Out & Design, Logo, Branding, Signage, Brochures, Social Media Capital Campaign to Raise Money, Legal Documents for Participating Rescues, Automation of Shelter Management System, App Development for Alerting Volunteers, Update Current App Used by Another Rescue

Project 16---How Can we Help Small, Volunteer Run Nonprofits to find the help & money they need to fulfill their organization's mission? How might we create novel ways to create Fundraising opportunities for small nonprofits? Small nonprofits need help with: Websites, Automation, Branding, Graphic Design, Marketing, Accounting, Supply Chain Management, Event Management, etc.  Raising money is always a big problem for small nonprofits that do not have lots of salaried staff. Let's come up with a creative new Fundraising Event that all small, volunteer run nonprofits can participate in. Let's start to plan it out! Let's also come up with a long list of fundraisers, both traditional (bake sale, garage sale) & innovative fundraisers we may have seen online or through social media.

Project 17---How might we create a public awareness campaign that encourages people to do what they need to do to prepare for for a natural disaster? How do we  motivate people with animals or people who are diffently abled to take the extra precaustions they need to be prepared?

Project 18---Social Media Marketing & Traditional Marketing Campaign for Maricopa County Region to Encourage Volunteering & Donations of Items, Services and Needed Funds---We need your help! We are Creating a Unified Campaign that All Nonprofits and Volunteers can Help to Push Market. We want to inspire people to Volunteer, Donate Items, Donate Professional Skills, Donate Services (Copying, Sign Creation, etc.) and Donate much needed Funds. This project will be designed to help the small nonprofits that are mostly volunteer run and have no paid staff to help market their missions. These small nonprofits are especially deserving because more of each donated dollar actually goes to the cause and each volunteer hour has more impact.---Help Needed: Facebook Posts, Facebook Live, Podcasters, Writers, Journalists, Videographers, Video Commercials about the Nonprofits & their Projects, Videos to Create Cause Awareness, Martech Analytics, Branding, Graphic Design, Brochures, Logos and information about "What Works?" What Marketing, Social Media Marketing & Public Awareness Events have You Seen that were especially Memorable?

Project 19---How can we help people to "navigate the system" and find community resources better, faster, cheaper and more effectively & efficiently? How can we use technology to  help  people find the community resources, nonprofit help or government agency help they need? How can we help people solve problems & find the correct services to meet their needs?  For example these 2 projects already proposed: Community Calendar Project & Community Resource Mapping Project. For example, how might we streamline the process to help homeless individuals and struggling families find resources quickly & easily?

Project 20---How might we create an online Community Skill Bank where people with specialized skills (lawyers, coders, electricians, mechanics, etc.) are alerted when a Community Project that needs their skills is posted by a nonprofit organization? They can offer to help if and when they wish. They can share their skills to make a difference in their community.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND :

*Any nonprofit, school or other philanthropic organizations that would like to receive community help.

*Any individual community members who would like to volunteer their time to help a Community Project or pitch their own idea, project or startup venture.

*Anyone who wants to make a positive difference in their community. You may come for a few hours or stay all day. This is our chance to brainstorm, connect with like-minded others and find organizations that share our passion for a particular cause.

HOW DOES A "CREATATHON" WORK? THREE OPTIONS:

Option 1---Do you have an idea for a community project that helps people, animals or the environment?

Present your Project----->Request Help----->Set Up a Station at a Table Where People Can Stop by and Share Ideas, Information & Resources----->Gather a Team of Volunteers to Help or Come with Your Own Team of Volunteers----->Spend Time Together Working on Solutions----->Share the Progress You Made at the end of the Day----->Celebrate Todays Successes and Describe the Next Steps and what other ides, information, resources or help you need to move forward.

Option 2---Do you want to show up on the day of the Creatathon and "shop" for community projects to help? Join in and help one project or move around to various stations and help solve problems and brainstorm ideas.

Option 3---Do you want to have a Creat-a-Thon party for friends, your kids & family members where you contribute on line from your home. Be a Virtual Volunteer! If you have family visiting for the holiday, Enlist the Help of Your Entire Family to share Ideas, Information and Resources via Twitter & Facebook. Please check back to see the hashtags that we will be using for each project. (We would like to have the community projects post a video or use Facebook live to describe their project and also give updates a various milestones. We will also have a volunteer Tweeting out questions & updates on progress that you can respond to.)

HOW TO BECOME A FEATURED PROJECT

All projects are welcome and you can bring new projects on the day of the Creatathon, but if you would like to be a Featured Community Project that day, please contact us to let us know your project idea. We would like to help promote your project before the day of the Creatathon and try to get volunteers who are dedicated to helping you.

These questions may help you prepare your presentation: What is the name of your Project? Brief Description of this Project. Who will be Helped and/or What Problem will be solved? Who benefits from this project? Please descibe the Social or Environmental Problem that this Project will help to solve. Why is this important? What is the "deleverable" or end result that will be accomplished with the Help of the Community by the end of today's Create-a-thon? For your project: What Supplies or Material Resources Needed? What Skills & Expertise is Needed? What People Resources are Needed--Team Members, Interns, Volunteers, Staff? What Information & Advice is Needed? What Referrals, Introductions, Connections, Sponsorships, etc. are needed? If you need money, what would you need it for? What, specifically, can Our Community  Do to Help on this Project? What do you request of the community volunteers here today? Do you need help with social media marketing, traditional marketing, business, technology, graphic art or any other type of help? What will the finished project look like?  Please break down your project into bite sized pieces that can be successfully achieved or, at least, moved forward during the 8 hour Creatathon. At the end of the day presentation: What are the next steps? What further help, information or resources do you need? :-)

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL

Does your nonprofit organization, school or other philanthropic organization need money, volunteers, donated items, donated services and more money to fulfill your mission? Do you have a community project that you would like to receive help on? Your community project may be something you need built, an idea for a new service, a need for a new website or technology solution. Would you like to meet other like-minded individuals are willing to help you?

Send in your idea via the "contact us" option so that we can help promote your Community Project before the event or come and pitch your idea on that day. You can also bring a problem you are trying to solve or even a vague idea of a solution you would like to create and let the "wisdom of the crowd", other community members, help you. It will be even better if you have an idea of a project that we can make some progress on during this event day. Be sure to share the specifics of what you need: Social Media Marketing, Technology Help, Graphic Design, etc.

Come join us on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 25th for a Community Project Accelerator where you will get the help that you need. This event is a Creat-a-thon (need marketing, social media, design or any type of creative help?), Hackathon (need tech solutions or help?) and Maker-a-thon (need a new product or physical fix to a problem?) all rolled into one. You can be like a butterfly and go from project to project giving help & ideas. Or, you can be like a bee and find a "hive", a community project, to help all day. :-)

WHAT TO BRING:  Bring any type of Community Project that Makes the World a Better Place. Also bring: Snacks, Drinks in closed containers, paper, pens, colored pencils, markers, white boards, flip charts, scrap paper, laptop computers, extra card tables and anything else that will help you be creative. Nonprofits should bring information & brochures. Please tell your friends! We need all skills, all ideas and all interest in different worthy causes. Please put on your Superhero cape and bring your own unique Superhero skills to help create positive change in your community.

We are an online/in person Community Project Accelerator that Offers Create-a-Thons, Hackathons, Make-a-Thons & Social Entrepreneur Startup Events that Create Opportunities for Like-Minded Individuals & Organizations to Support Community Projects that Make the World a Better Place.

We Help Individuals & Organizations to Find the Information & Resources They Need to Solve Social & Environmental Problems. Thank you for your help in getting the word out through your social media channels! :-)