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| Do Something | |
|---|---|
| Name | Do Something |
| Type | Nonprofit youth organization |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Andrew Shue |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Area served | United States, international |
| Key people | Nancy Lublin |
| Focus | Youth service, civic engagement |
Do Something
Do Something is a youth-focused nonprofit organization that mobilizes young people to take action on social issues through campaigns, digital platforms, and volunteer opportunities. It connects teens and young adults with projects addressing public health, poverty, education, and civic participation, collaborating with media companies, nonprofits, and foundations. The organization has been associated with awards, corporate partnerships, and high-profile ambassadors who amplify its campaigns across social networks and philanthropic platforms.
Do Something positions itself at the intersection of youth advocacy, nonprofit service, and digital engagement, linking participants to campaigns inspired by initiatives led by figures and institutions such as Barack Obama, Malala Yousafzai, Gates Foundation, United Nations, and Michelle Obama. It operates programs that mirror efforts by organizations like Teach For America, Save the Children, UNICEF, American Red Cross, and Habitat for Humanity. The group has been featured by media outlets including The New York Times, Time, Forbes, Vogue, and The Washington Post and partnered with entertainment entities such as MTV, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, Paramount Global, and ViacomCBS.
Founded in 1993 by actor and activist Andrew Shue and colleagues, the organization grew amid 1990s youth service movements alongside groups like City Year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and AmeriCorps. Early milestones included collaborations with celebrities and campaigns tied to events such as World AIDS Day, initiatives similar to campaigns by Make-A-Wish Foundation and Doctors Without Borders, and recognition from philanthropic funders including Ford Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Leadership transitions involved executives with ties to entities like Ashoka, Doordash (executives), and social entrepreneurs linked to programs at Harvard Kennedy School and Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Do Something's structure includes a central staff, regional coordinators, and digital volunteers, operating platforms comparable to Change.org, Idealist, VolunteerMatch, and Catchafire. Activities range from online challenges reminiscent of viral campaigns on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to offline service days coordinated with partners such as Food Bank For New York City, Salvation Army, United Way Worldwide, and City Harvest. The organization develops educational toolkits, toolsets similar to materials from Common Sense Media and Scholastic Corporation, and awards programs akin to the Sackler Prize model and youth recognition schemes like The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
Campaigns have targeted issues parallel to those addressed by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation initiatives, Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness efforts, and public health drives linked to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention campaigns. Notable efforts involved anti-bullying drives similar to It Gets Better Project, environmental actions comparable to Sierra Club campaigns, and voter engagement resembling initiatives by Rock the Vote and The League of Women Voters. Do Something has claimed metrics of volunteer hours and community projects in reports evoking impact assessments like those by Independent Sector and Urban Institute and has been recognized in award forums including Webby Awards and honors associated with Clio Awards collaborations.
Membership consists of adolescents and young adults organized through chapters, school clubs, and online networks that parallel campus organizations such as Student Government Association, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and youth wings of political movements like Young Democrats of America and College Republicans. Organizational governance has included a board with members from corporate philanthropy arms like Google.org, Salesforce.org, Nike Foundation, and leaders who previously served at Human Rights Watch, The Aspen Institute, and Council on Foreign Relations.
Funding sources mirror models used by nonprofits receiving grants from foundations such as W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and MacArthur Foundation, alongside corporate sponsorships from entities like AT&T, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Amazon, and Disney. Partnerships span nonprofit alliances with organizations such as Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, and corporate cause-marketing collaborations visible in campaigns with brands like Nike and Adidas. Grant reporting and impact evaluation practices draw from standards promoted by National Council of Nonprofits and consultants at McKinsey & Company and Bain & Company.
Critiques leveled at Do Something echo broader debates faced by youth nonprofits and social enterprises, such as questions about metrics and measurement familiar from discussions around GiveWell and Charity Navigator, concerns about corporate partnerships similar to controversies involving UNIQLO or PepsiCo sponsorships, and debates on volunteerism vs. structural change seen in critiques of Volunteers for International Development models. Operational challenges have included leadership disputes reported in journalism like The New York Post and governance scrutiny akin to inquiries into nonprofit boards at institutions such as Red Cross. Some activists have argued, in lines comparable to critiques from Amnesty International and ACLU, that campaign framing can prioritize visibility over policy impact.