Ben Rattray quotes:

Social networking technology didn't really exist until 2004-2005. I had the idea to use this technology to bridge this gap between a general interest in addressing social issues and the practical action.

There are a lot of complaints by the older generation about the lack of action in this generation. My retort: give these people something to be engaged in. Cutting a check is not engaging.

In college, I was always disappointed by lectures that covered social problems but failed to identify what I could do to change them. Part of the problem was that many professors simply didn't believe they had a role in converting awareness to action.

I was always interested in social change but never actually did anything about it.

Some charities treat donors like cash machines. Until now there hasn't been any effective way for them to provide a more personal or interactive giving experience.