CreateAthon: Pulling All-Nighters for Charity

All-nighters are not just for procrastinating college students anymore. Now, their powers are also being harnessed for the benefit of nonprofit organizations!

CreateAthon is a nonprofit that connects other nonprofits to free creative services. The organization helps businesses, creative teams, and educational institutions throw "CreateAthons," or 24-hour pro bono work marathons. During these events, the creative organizations provide free marketing, fundraising designs, advertisements, etc. to various charities.

By the end of a CreateAthon, charities gain high-quality work materials, which they probably would not have been able to afford otherwise. In return, the creative organizations involved gain the positive experience of giving back to their communities and learn teamwork strategies, as well as other work skills.

Since its founding in 1997, CreateAthon has helped to serve 1,300 nonprofits through over 3,500 unique projects. These efforts have taken place in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, and they are cumulatively worth $20.5 million dollars. CreateAthon supports the idea that every step we take toward building a more socially responsible world counts. Each event is only 24 hours long, but the creative organizations and individuals involved are able to provide a wonderful gift to their nonprofit clients.

Agencies, educational institutions, professional associations and corporations can find more information on throwing a CreateAthon on the organization's website. To learn about past CreateAthon events, you can also read about specific case studies on the website.

For businesses interested in incorporating corporate social responsibility into their company practices, holding a CreateAthon might be a great place to start!