Working hand in hand, ThePort Network and nonprofit consulting leader Common Knowledge created custom social media solutions that help the Arthritis Foundation better serve its members. In the process, a new 
community is helping http://community.arthritis.org reach and engage donors in greater numbers than ever before. The key element is ThePort's Web 2.0 Social Media Platform. Its custom tools give members of the arthritis-focused community an array of options for learning, engaging and communicating. In addition, the socially enabled new community boasts a convenient link to the foundation's parent site where donations can be made quickly and easily.
The benefit? When nonprofits highlight the human element in a dedicated online community, it can have a long-term, positive impact on fundraising.
At http://community.arthritis.org, engaged members use a palette of socially-enabled options to develop their own unique profile pages, "friend" users with like 
interests, upload photos, publish their own blogs and comment on blogs posted by others, including Arthritis Foundation administrators. Real Simple Syndication (RSS) also enables members to tailor their own news feeds on arthritis-related topics.
"Our objective is to be as comprehensive a community as possible for people affected by arthritis and related diseases," said Delia Carter, Group Vice President, Strategic Communications for the Arthritis Foundation. "We wanted to improve the user experience on our website by adding tools that enable people to contribute in a meaningful way, while also facilitating networking between users. ThePort is a valued partner in helping us to achieve our goals."
To members, the ability of friends and family to generously support a
foundation dedicated to the improvement of a chronic ailment is important. But exploring the community, one is captivated by personal stories of both pain and healing progress.
Ultimately, members have the opportunity to express their emotions throughout the community by posting and commenting, sharing photos and ideas about medications and cures. For individuals who suffer the pain of arthritis, the stories are simply heart-rending.
