In times of social distancing, companies and organizations have to adjust the way they operate, just like everyone else. Luckily, in the era we live in, social media is as prevalent as ever. These companies that are changing their whole design to adhere to stay-at-home orders can use social media to keep a sense of normalcy, and continue to bring in revenue. 

  Gift of Life Donor Program is a non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This organization works to “coordinate recovery and distribution of organs and tissues used in life-saving and life-enhancing transplants.” With April being tagged as National Donate Life Month, this organization had planned many events to raise awareness for organ donation and to promote their cause. However, no one could predict what obstacles April 2020 would bring. 

  The COVID-19 outbreak put a dent in any in-person events planned for National Donate Life Month this year. The events planned are crucial to Gift of Life’s success in saving so many lives across America. National Donate Life Month raises awareness for organ donation, as well as promotes registration for people to become organ donors. The organization had to find a way to stay on track with their planned events, while altering them to be done from home. 

  The organization made many efforts to keep up awareness for organ and tissue donation, despite the setbacks concerning COVID-19. Gift of Life encouraged the public to participate in National Donate Life Month digitally, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Gift of Life came up with loads of ways for their supporters to participate in National Donate Life Month from home, with determination to spread awareness for organ and tissue donation.  

  One of the biggest events that Gift of Life had planned for April 2020 was their annual Donor Dash, which was planned for April 19. This year would have marked their 25th Donor Dash event, but has been postponed to adhere to COVID-19 related requests. To keep their community engaged and continue to raise awareness for organ donation, Gift of Life has transitioned to social media. 

  Gift of Life has suggested their supporters share Donor Dash memories from prior years using #Dash25. In doing so, Gift of Life is using social media to promote their cause and raise awareness for organ donation, in a time when their in-person events cannot commence. 

  Gift of Life also encourages their supporters to share their own personal organ donation stories on social media. Because this year’s National Donate Life Month is very different from past years, the organization suggests sharing unique donation/transplant stories with the world using #NDLM2020. By sharing personal stories concerning organ donation, it spreads awareness and sheds light on the importance of organ donations/transplants. 

  The organization also suggested putting a Gift of Life lawn sign outside, and sharing a photo of the sign, explaining what donation means to you, using #savelivesathome. Sharing photos like this is also a way of doing good and promoting organ donation from home.

  Gift of Life also promoted National Blue and Green Day on April 17 as a way to get involved from home. National Blue and Green Day is dedicated to promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation awareness. The organization encouraged the public, on this day, to share photos of themselves wearing blue and green, using #BlueGreenDay. The organization shared the most creative posts that they saw to spread awareness. 

  Because of the importance of organ and tissue donation, Gift of Life had to adhere to the changes that had to be made. The organization had to quickly find new ways to effectively spread awareness for organ donation from home. Using social media outlets like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, the organization kept the community engaged and spread awareness for their cause. 

  In times like these, where everyone has to stay home, it’s important for companies and organizations to change their ways of operation. Organizations, like Gift of Life, still need to promote their causes, keep the communities engaged, and spread awareness. When in-person events that work to accomplish these goals cannot commence, the use of social media helps organizations, like Gift of Life, to get the job done.