In the category of Too Much Information, you can file this: the widgets on my iGoogle homepage include “To-Do’s” “Weather” “Gmail” and “Movie Times,” which, much to my aggravation, I am unable to change to my new Chicago zip code permanently–it keeps reverting back to Fairfield, CT. But the theme of my page was the Hong Kong skyline, which changes the time of day in the picture on my screen along with the actual time of day, how cool is that? Now, I just noticed near the bottom right of the theme bar, something called “Themes for Causes.”
Turns out you can now customize your theme to be a graphic from your favorite cause. There are currently only about 25 cause themes, but looking at which charities already have a theme up is just fascinating. It’s the same folks who I have seen be incredibly media-savvy or web-savvy in other areas of their fundraising: Invisible Children, Ashoka, The ONE Campaign, Heifer International, Charity: Water (which got almost $1,000 from my friends and family who donated in lieu of birthday gifts, and many thousands more from others like me. Check out my write-up of their campaign here). Heavy on environmental orgs and disaster/development organizations like Oxfam, Mercy Corps and the Red Cross.
After you choose your theme for a cause, you’ll be the only one who sees it day it to day–it’s not like an IM icon or a Facebook or Twitter picture that folks will see next to your name every time you contact them. But once you select the theme there will be an ever-present option to Donate in the bottom right of the theme box.
In case you’re wondering, I decided to go with the Jane Goodall Institute. First, because the monkeys remind me of my kids. Second, because I’m visiting the Jane Goodall Institute next summer in Africa and it will keep me very excited to look forward to this wonderful opportunity.
iGoogle Jane Goodall Institute theme
