Nonprofit Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center recently launched a unique online community that is all about patients, friends, family and employees connecting and sharing. In Grateful Nation, people have the opportunity to network with peers, share treatment resources, tell their story in a blog, plus upload content to Facebook and connect with other members in Groups and Events.

The Grateful Nation community is breaking new ground with its innovative merging of online and offline activities. Best of all, lots of people benefit from the volunteerism and generous giving associated with a variety of events.

Within the socially-enabled web site, constituents are offered multiple ways to connect and participate in local community events that raise awareness for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Separate landing pages give members multiple options for getting involved and large “Donate Now” buttons are prominent in all areas of the community. The positive result? Both fundraising and volunteerism are given significant impetus.

One excellent example of online/offline event success involves cancer survivor Tom DesFosses and A Reason to Ride, an annual bike ride which raises significant proceeds for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Members of Grateful Nation can sign up online to participate in A Reason to Ride; they can support the event monetarily; they can even volunteer to help run the event in person.

In September, 2009, with a goal of $35,000, A Reason to Ride (presented by Fuddruckers) raised over $56,000 to benefit cancer research at the medical center.

In the Grateful Nation social community, A Reason to Ride is joined by other fundraising efforts that reach out to donors in a variety of activities. Walkathons, golf tournaments, tennis events and musical concerts are all popular and worthwhile.

If you would like to learn more about the real-world benefits being realized by nonprofits and associations with white label social communities, please click here.