For round two, however, Garcia has revamped the model. Instead of donating to 365 different charities, he’s featuring one per month (12 total) and pooling his money to deliver larger personal donations to each charity. He’s also crowdsourcing a bit of help.
Last year, Garcia not only donated to 365 different charities, he also wrote a blog post for every single one, including what the charities did, why he chose them and how much he gave (usually around $10). That was a lot of work, especially for someone from a modest background with a day job as an actor and director. Perhaps the most compelling part of the campaign is that Garcia really is an ordinary guy trying to make a difference.
Garcia’s Tumblr is still live and kicking, but he’s also trying to have his audience help him spread the word. Garcia is accepting guest posts; some are from featured non-profits, while others are from members of his audience, explaining why they decided to join Garcia’s mission.
Garcia says his mission has always been less about the money value than it is about the participation and spirit of giving. Last year, Garcia donated a little more than $4,000. However, that number was augmented by more than $15,000 in matching donations from everyday people inspired by his work.
Now, Garcia is giving them a voice as part of Year Two. “The thing I’m going to continue to push is that it really doesn’t have to be a lot,” Garcia says. “It doesn’t have to be $5 a day, it can be a dolla r or $0.50. You might be...
