Kelly Brooks, 44, of SouthPark began SHARE in December 2012. SHARE works with nearly 140 local non-profits and hundreds of “neighbors” are already on board! Keep reading to learn more about SHARE and how you can get involved.
Q. How did SHARE begin?
A. SHARE Charlotte grew out of my own search for ways to engage and support the community when my family first moved here five years ago. I saw a need for a service that would allow neighbors like me to connect with all of the amazing good happening in Charlotte - and so SHARE was born!
Q. What exactly do you do?
A. Our role is to connect neighbors with the local non-profits that touch their hearts and need their support. We have an enormous variety of non-profits in our database, or "Collection of Good" as we like to call it, from very small organizations to the large, well known names. We believe most people are searching for opportunities to connect with their community based on their own areas of interest - what they're passionate about. So our home page starts with that - the "who" you want to support (Kids, Military, Seniors, Adults, Families, Animals or the Environment). Whatever your interest is, we have a non-profit organization that would LOVE your involvement!
Q. How many non-profits and charities are registered in Charlotte?
A. That's a great question; it really depends on what “type” of non-profit you’re talking about. According to NCCS there are thousands here in Mecklenburg County but they include churches, schools, and clubs. We are working to create a comprehensive database of “traditional” non-profits, that doesn’t include that list for now. We may look to add them in the future.
Q. How does SHARE work?
A. SHARE Charlotte is FREE, EASY and LOCAL! As soon as a Neighbor signs up on our website they have access to search our full database of local non-profits. Each non-profit registered with us has a profile page where they explain what they do, who they serve and a list upcoming opportunities, events and ways to get involved. Once a Neighbor finds something they're interested in they can connect to the non-profit directly from our website. We also have a Non-Profit Events Calendar on our home page, where Neighbors can see what's coming up – both marketing and fundraising events.
Q. What are some of the non-profits you can find on SHARE?
A. There are nearly 140 (and counting), so that's a big question! Our goal is to have ALL local 501(c)3 organizations that serve Mecklenburg County represented. It is important to us that we create a “level playing field” for all sizes and areas of focus so Neighbors can see the landscape of each sector. Our non-profits range from the largest (Crisis Assistance Ministry) to the smallest (Spay Neuter Charlotte)…and everyone in between!
Q. What types of information can you find on their non-profit page?
A. Each non-profit has the opportunity to list general information about their organization: their mission and what they do, a few interesting facts, upcoming events and opportunities, and contact information. We encourage them to stay brief and literal…and some organizations do even more like adding wish lists, photos, board position availability, etc.
Q. What are your personal favorite charities/non-profits?
A. There are so many incredible organizations in this community - and every week I learn about even more. It would be impossible for me to pick even just a handful! That's one of the things that makes Charlotte such an incredible place; it's an enormously generous and caring community. Our job is to help everyone figure out how they want to participate in the success of our community!
Q. Is it free to join and get listed?
A. Yes. SHARE Charlotte is completely free to Neighbors and Non-Profits! It takes just seconds for a Neighbor to sign-up and about 10 minutes for a Non-Profit. Not long at all—so please tell everyone you know!!
You can get more information at
Website: www.sharecharlotte.com
Facebook: Share Charlotte
Twitter: @shareclt
