‘craigconnects’ Launches for the Common Good

Craig Newmark, the founder of the online community networking site, craigslist, has launched craigconnects, a web-based initiative to help people work together for the common good using the Internet.

Newmark says craigconnects hopes to identify, connect and protect organisations engaged in work that is truly sustainable – socially responsible, self-perpetuating and replicable.

He says the site is a voice for the grassroots, the rank-and-file, for people who never had a voice until now.

The initial list of organisations includes dozens working in the areas of community building, social media for social progress, journalism integrity, open and accountable government, service and volunteering, veterans’ issues, and peace in the Middle East.

The public is invited to submit recommendations for others to be added to the list via the craigconnects website.

Newmark says he’s been doing this for Not for Profits, but much more informally, applying a lot of what he’s learnt over 10 years doing customer service for craigslist.

Now, he says, he thinks it’s time to get deadly serious.

He says craigconnects is not a fundraising or grant-giving organisation and it will operate as an entirely separate entity from craigslist, the hugely popular web platform Newmark founded in the 1990s. Craigslist is a centralised network of online communities, featuring free online classified advertisements – with sections devoted to jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, gigs, résumés, and discussion forums.

Newmark has not served in a managerial position at craigslist for more than 10 years.

To find out more go to www.craigconnects.org.