Hyper-Local Petition Platform Gives Unprecedented Power To Activists

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizen activists now have access to a first-of-its-kind localized petition tool from Care2, the 33 million-member network for good.

Care2 Local Petitions enables citizen petition authors to create hyper-local petitions, such as those focused on schools, parks, pets, crime, roadways, zoning, businesses and other local issues.   Care2 Local Petitions highlight local signers, making it easy for citizens and journalists to find and share petitions by city or town.  This new service also enables Care2's expert campaign team to help local authors and provide free, targeted promotion to local signers on the Care2 petition site.

Every day in cities in towns across the US, thousands of battles are waged with profound consequences for the rights and welfare of local individuals, animals, and the environment.  Online petitions have become a powerful, disruptive force in local politics, yet, until today's launch of Care2 Local Petitions, no online petition site was designed specifically for the unique needs of local petitioners.

"Accumulating a large number of signatures from around the world doesn't always translate to local impact," Care2 CEO & Founder Randy Paynter said. "Elected officials and local media are most influenced by local signers and comments. Care2 Local Petitions is the first platform optimized to help community activists win their campaigns."

While million-signature petitions can grab international headlines, such as the Care2 petition calling for justice for Cecil the lion, it often takes only a few hundred or thousand local signatures for local media and officials to take notice. For example, residents of Newport Beach, CA recently petitioned the city to make a local crosswalk safer, and the city agreed to install a lit warning to motorists. In San Francisco, Care2 members petitioned to prohibit tolls for pedestrians and bicyclists on the Golden Gate Bridge, leading to California Governor Jerry Brown barring tolls for the next five years. And when a Pennsylvania school district barred a cyber student from attending a local school dance, the community gathered enough Care2 petition support that the school board reversed its policy and allowed the student to attend.

"Interest in local petitions is exploding, as people realize online petitions grab headlines and get results.  Individuals are starting nearly twice as many local petitions on Care2 today than they were a year ago. We see an opportunity for Care2 Local Petitions to play a pivotal role in every community across the nation," Paynter explained. "With our hyper-local petition platform, and the world's largest social network focused on creating a better world, Care2 is uniquely positioned to influence local decision makers."

Care2's nonprofit partners and natural-brand clients will also benefit from the launch of Care2 Local Petitions.  Care2 has recruited more than 50 million donor and customer prospects for many of the world's leading membership-based nonprofit organizations and sustainable corporate brands.  As online petitions have become a cornerstone of civic engagement and local influence, they've also proven to be an important channel for identifying and recruiting influential consumers who support values-aligned brands, organizations and legislation.  Care2 Local Petitions will allow for enhanced targeting for organizations interested in recruiting donors or customers in key congressional districts or regions.

About Care2
Care2, the longest running petition site, is a social network of over 33 million activists standing together for good.  Care2 helps individuals start petitions and make a difference in their community while helping over 1500 nonprofit clients recruit more than 50 million prospective donors worldwide. Care2 petitions have received international acclaim for making a difference in human rights, women's rights and animal welfare, such as protecting African wildlife in response to the killing of Cecil the lion by an American trophy hunter. 

Unlike other petition platforms, Care2 does not charge citizens for supporting their petitions.  In addition, as the world's largest values-aligned community for good, Care2 will only work with organizations that support a kinder, more inclusive and sustainable world.

Care2 is a rapidly growing, profitable Silicon Valley-based B Corporation, using the power of business as a force for good. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Care2

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