Happy April, Vibers! Did you know that today is National Walking Day?

Walking is a great way to improve your health and happiness! Being inactive is one of the biggest triggers of heart disease, so it’s important to get up every so often and move.

Maybe spend your lunch strolling outside, or ask a coworker to “walk and talk” instead of sitting in a meeting.

Even the smallest changes can have a big impact, so try to move for just 30 minutes today! We guarantee you won’t regret it.

Lead411 has named SocialVibe one of the Hottest Tech Companies in Southern California! We are thrilled to be recognized, but can’t even start to celebrate until we thank our greatest advocates --- all of you! We work hard every day because of you, and we can’t thank you enough for your support.

Here are just a few fun facts about SocialVibe’s growth in 2011:

• People (you!) spent over 1.5 billion secondsengaging with brand activities from our advertisers
• You engaged with campaigns across 5 continents.
• We opened up offices in the U.K. to bring engagements to Europe and beyond.
• We doubled in headcount – more SocialVibers sporting pink ball gear than ever!

SocialVibe is a charity-minded company at its heart, and everything we do in advertising started with you. Thank you to everyone who makes SocialVibe great! 2012 will be just as exciting as 2011, so keep checking back in this space!

xoxo

Your friends at SocialVibe

One of SocialVibe’s favorite charitable celebrities, Daniel Radcliffe, was interviewed by Parade Magazine this month and talked about his involvement with The Trevor Project. Daniel has been a great role model for celebrities participating in philanthropic work, and he had some wise things to say about the obligation to help those less fortunate:

“I think that any free-thinking person who becomes very wealthy and has strong opinions on things would get involved with something like The Trevor Project or scholarships for schools or whatever. Fame is very useful in directing attention toward those things.”

“You know, the fact that I wake up in my lovely apartment in New York and get to stroll down here and do a couple of shows, and there is somebody in some country waking up wondering where he’s going to live that week—it’s a horrendous feeling. There is a sense that you have to do something. I feel Brad Pitt would agree that the way to help is to really get behind things that you’re passionate about, like The Trevor Project. You have to give back.”

We think he nailed it! More celebs should follow his example and use their wealth and fame for the benefit of others.

DoSomething.org came out with a list of their top twenty “Celebrities Gone Good” in 2011. Daniel made number 17!

Who are your favorite charitable celebrities? Do you respect an actor or musician more when they use their influence for good?

As a girl with Nebraskan heritage and a love of red meat, I’m really excited to share this opportunity with you all!

Until February 27th, 2012, Omaha Steaks is offering an app on their Facebook page called the Ultimate Burger Experience. From a list of 50 ingredients, you get to build an epic, delicious (though sadly, virtual) burger, then donate it to the charity of your choice!

The charities that will benefit are charity:water, Disabled American Veterans, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Each charity receives a minimum of $5,000, and the charity with the most burgers at the end gets $25,000! Plus, if the Omaha Steaks Facebook page gets more than 225,000 fans by February 27th, every charity gets $25,000!

Pretty awesome, right? Kudos to Omaha Steaks for continuing their tradition of charitable giving!

Which organization will you support with your virtual burger?

Did you know that January is National Blood Donor Month? Every year, nearly 10 million people donate blood, and this month the American Red Cross encourages you to be one of them!

Yes, needles can be scary, but unfortunately January is the most difficult time for blood donation. It’s cold, it’s dark, and people who may otherwise plan on donating struggle to make their appointments. That’s why we’re encouraging you to give one of the greatest gifts you can: life.

Every two seconds, someone is in need of donated blood, and 38,000 donations are necessary each day to keep up with the demand. One pint of blood, the average donation, can save up to three lives. In only approximately an hour and fifteen minutes, you can truly make a huge difference.

Donating is safe, simple, and rewarding. Check out this link for information on eligibility and donating in your area.

Happy New Year, 'Vibers!

Each January, we tell ourselves this is the year we’ll fix our self-perceived flaws and better ourselves in some way. The gyms fill up, the diets start, and vices are sworn off forever. We all know the routine!

It can be difficult, however, to stick to these new rules we’ve made for ourselves. Everyone knows that once spring has sprung, even the most die-hard Resolutionists and Resolutionistas end up right back where they started, and come next holiday season most of us make the exact same promises all over again.

We were thinking about new ways to fulfill this New Year’s tradition. Instead of resolving to change something about yourself (hey, we think you’re pretty great and like you the way you are!), why not plan to improve the world you live in? You’d be surprised by how the littlest things can make the biggest difference not only for you but also for the people around you.

Here’s some fodder for revolutionary resolutions for all of you Resolutionists and Resolutionistas out there!

• Walk, bike or skate instead of drive! Resolve to use your car less, limiting your carbon footprint and easing the rush of traffic in your city. Not only does this help our environment, but it can save money and keep you healthy and active. If walking, biking or skating aren’t possible, you can even check out carpooling to get where you need to go. Many businesses have ride sharing programs to help you find a carpool in your area, and sometimes they’ll even give you an incentive to do so!

• Clean out the clutter! Go through your closets, boxes and shelves and pull out all the things you never use, no longer like, or don’t even recognize. There are so many options for donating – the whole lot could go to Goodwill, or there might be schools or shelters in the area in need of your books or clothes. If you have a lot of wares to peddle you can look into having your own garage sale, or if it’s the clothes that are really cluttering your closet, have a clothing-swap with friends!

• Resolve to recycle! It seems like such a small thing, but it can make such a big difference. Already recycle at home? Talk to your workplace about “going green.” You could spread the word to family and friends about how they should too!

• Volunteer! Try to dedicate a few hours of your time every month to philanthropy. It can be tough for all of us to fit in-person volunteer work into our schedules, but that isn’t your only option! You could knit or crochet scarves and hats for cancer patients, collect canned food from friends and coworkers to drop off at a homeless shelter, or even start a blog to raise awareness about an issue close to your heart. The possibilities are endless!

Do you have any great ideas for revolutionary resolutions? Share them in the comments below!

If you’re like us, you probably still have quite a bit of holiday shopping to do (hey, it happens). In the middle of planning your travel to see mom and dad, buying gifts for cousins and coworkers, and anteing up for holiday celebrations with friends, it’s hard to leave much room in the schedule -- or in the budget -- for charity.

However, a lack of funds certainly doesn’t have to mean a lack of giving. One of the most valuable things you can contribute this holiday season is your time, and you can give it for free! Volunteering is a great way to bring holiday cheer to those in need, and can be even more rewarding than simply swiping your credit card.

Here are a few ways you can give back with your time during your holiday break:

• You can start with a site like VolunteerMatch to find nonprofits in your area that are in need of help. VolunteerMatch makes it easier for good people and good causes to connect – we highly recommend checking them out for opportunities in your town.
• Local homeless shelters and food banks are great places to donate your time and help give a happy holiday to those who may not have a home or the means to celebrate.
• You could also check out local nursing homes where you can provide company for someone who may not have family of their own. Check out The Holiday Project for potential opportunities in your area.
• Many types of charities collect toys and clothes for underprivileged families, and they appreciate the help organizing and dispensing gifts. The Salvation Army is a great place to start.
• You could even start your own holiday drive! Take the initiative to incorporate charitable donations like canned food, clothing or toys for a local charity at your holiday shindig.

There are so many ways to give back this season. With a little time, creativity and drive, you can find the right volunteer fit to make an impact.

Choosing just the right gift for someone you love can be a daunting task. You want to show that you care by giving something meaningful and useful, but the choices out there are overwhelming! Books? Socks? Another trinket to gather dust on the shelf? Finding the perfect gift can be stressful in this season of cheer, but sometimes the perfect thing isn’t a thing at all.


Check out this great PSA from the American Red Cross.

What do you think of the message in this video? Will you consider giving the gift of charity to those you love this year?