Serving Through Social Media On MLK Day of Service


Be The Match MLK Day

For nearly 20 years, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day has coincided with a national Day of Service. It’s an opportunity for Americans to honor King’s legacy through volunteer civic action.

Today, the Minneapolis-based nonprofit Be The Match is giving people an extra way to get involved in MLK Day of Service. The organization is asking people to help spread the word about the lifesaving impact of bone marrow donations.

Be The Match, which operates the nation’s leading marrow registry, set up a Facebook page that makes it a snap to share your support for the cause.

Visitors can join the Be The Match Registry, pledge to hold a marrow drive or become a “social volunteer” by telling family and friends about the importance of marrow donations.

Fast Horse has been working with Be The Match to help develop and promote programs to raise awareness about the registry.

It’s true that posting a message on Facebook or sharing a tweet is a small step. But it’s one that can have a big impact.

You see, for people with leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening blood diseases, a marrow transplant often holds the key to life. And finding a suitable marrow donor can be a huge challenge.

That’s where the Be The Match Registry comes in. Millions of people have joined the registry (all it takes is a simple cheek swab), creating a database of marrow profiles. But even with the registry, many patients can’t find a suitable marrow donor.

So spreading the word about joining the Be The Match Registry really can help save lives. The person who decides to join today could be someone’s match tomorrow.

Here’s a news story from ABC13 in Houston detailing Be The Match’s MLK Day of Service program.