Caught up with Sam Davidson to talk about CoolPeopleCare which is a great initiative. We’re big fans over here at ADB.

CoolPeopleCare is aiming to be THE online destination for anyone who wants to make a difference.

To some, making a difference means small, simple acts that can be done every single day. If that’s you, check out 5 Minutes of Caring articles. They’re daily 99-word articles that offer practical tips and motivation for you to make a positive impact each and every day.

To others, making a difference means showing up to local events that make the world a better place. If that’s you, visit our Act Locally calendar, which lists any event that benefits your local community. From 5k runs to volunteer opportunities, from lectures to fundraising dinners, we’ve got meaningful events covered in nearly every American city.

And to some other people, making a difference means hopping on board with a local nonprofit and focusing your efforts on one issue. If that’s you, visit our partner page. These community organizations support our work and we, in turn, want to send you to them. You want to change the world, and these groups are already doing so. Sounds like a match.

Quickly tell us about your background
I grew up in Nashville, and moved back after college. I never thought I’d come back here, but now that I’ve been here for four years, I don’t see myself ever leaving. After college, I got married and needed a job so I walked into a hotel and was hired helping out with conferences. I hated it most days and was actively looking to break out and dive into the nonprofit world. A year and a half later, I finally got a shot. After being in the nonprofit sector for a bit, I saw a lot of needs that needed addressing and a lot of change was looming in terms of technology, advocacy, and awareness. That is what led to CoolPeopleCare.

How did coolpeoplecare.org start and what holds for the future?
It just started as a T-shirt idea. I saw these three words on a sign in a crowd and thought it was a brilliant message. I wanted to put them on a shirt and put those shirts on college kids and anyone else looking to be cool. I hoped the shirts would spark conversations between the wearer and the passerby, allowing people to share with one another what it was they cared about. People could then have a chance to tell the world what it was that made them want to make a difference.

So I went with the shirt idea to my friend Stephen to see how we could start making and selling these shirts. His background is in design and marketing, and we met working for the same youth development nonprofit in Nashville. What was supposed to be a 15 minute conversation turned into 2 hours. We knew we had something.

Basically, whenever we asked people why they didn’t get involved, we got 2 main excuses: I don’t know how and I don’t have enough time. We thought that if we could eliminate these excuses, we could bring more people into the social change conversation. Making a difference doesn’t have to be difficult. By showing people that community impact was doable, people might be willing to try it.

We also saw a need for nonprofits to connect with young people in order to tell them their needs and share ways to get involved. So we also new a main part of the site had to ultimately take people offline and out of their houses and into their local communities. So, we offer a local event calendar in 42 cities, listing any event that makes the world a better place, encouraging people to get out and make a difference.

How can people get involved? What are some simple ways people can do something?
First of all, just stop by the site. Each weekday, we publish a new article called ‘5 Minutes of Caring.’ This is a daily tip that shows you something you can do to make a difference literally in less than 300 seconds. And, if you’re passionate about a certain issue, look at our calendar if we have one for your city. Then, go out and meet other who are giving back.

Are there any success stories since the project started?
Absolutely. We’ve grown fast, which is great. We’ve been up and running for nearly 14 months now and we’re very proud to have so many visitors from all over. And, we’ll be releasing our first book at the end of October titled, “New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours.” It’s basically a manual for ways to change the world around you as part of your normal daily routine.

Living in the world of doing good, what inspires you to do something like this?
I’m someone who feels compelled to tell the stories that need telling in order to motivate other to change the things that need changing. Whether I’m working in a hotel, a nonprofit, or running CoolPeopleCare, an essential part of who I am needs to revolve around that idea. I want to show people that they have the power to change the world. Each and every person out there can make a difference right now, where they are, with what they have.

Thanks Sam! It was great hearing about what you’re doing to change the world. Very inspiring!

You can contact Sam Davidson at ssdavidson@gmail.com. If you would like to be interviewed on alldaybuffet, please contact mike at mike@alldaybuffet.org