Via Techsoup.
The Coalition Against Hunger is using Google Maps to network charitable food organizations, attract volunteers, and share information with other anti-hunger advocacy groups in New York City. You can find the mashup here. The maps are helpful because local soup kitchens generally have not done a good job of marketing themselves to the public.
“Sometimes soup kitchens can be right across the street from each other, and one won’t know the other exists,” said J.C. Dwyer, the Coalition Against Hunger’s Director of Programs and National Service. He also noted that, ideally, the maps will also educate the public about the severity of New York’s hunger problem and help people identify local soup kitchens where they can get involved.
This mashup is a great example of using new technology to help nonprofit organizations. Dwyer also believes that the mashup is great advertisement in and of itself, which I whole-heartedly agree with.