TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Nonprofit organizations looking for new ways to spread word of fundraisers and upcoming events are using a source that's free and accessed by an estimated 350 million people worldwide.

They're joining Facebook, the social networking site that has seemingly become a rite of passage for anyone with Internet access. Local nonprofits that have pages on Facebook include the Bakersfield Museum of Art, Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault, Arts Council of Kern, Kern Community Foundation and Kern Adult Literacy Council.

Beth Pandol, director of marketing for Bakersfield Museum of Art, said they use the site to announce fundraisers, exhibit openings and other events. Instead of mailing these announcements, which can cost hundreds of dollars, the museum can post them on Facebook without paying a penny.

Pandol said the site is also a great way to keep in touch with people who have left the area and let them know what's new at the museum. Plus, she can post pictures from exhibits so those who can't make the trip can at least view the art online.

"People get a much broader picture of what's going on when you can upload 200 pictures online instead of publishing one picture in a newsletter," Pandol said.

It's also nice to receive positive feedback about the exhibits, she said.

The Bakersfield chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had a quite different experience when the organization created Facebook and MySpace pages. Instead of responses from people interested in helping the community's four-legged friends, the sites somehow led to people sending porn to chapter members' e-mail accounts.

"Our marketing guy said 'If I get another picture of a nude person I'm going to scream,'" said Director Sandy Dralle.

Another problem was ads for various pet food and insurance companies kept popping up on the SPCA's pages, Dralle said. The nonprofit has contracts with certain companies in which they agree not to promote competitors.

All in all, it wasn't a positive experience, Dralle said.

But other nonprofits said Facebook has helped. Raye Bugnosen, clinical services manager for the Alliance Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault, said they started their Facebook account in October 2009 and hope it will reach people who otherwise wouldn't have heard of them.

"Our services are up there with links on how a victim can get help," Bugnosen said.

Salvation Army Major Daniel Abella said the nonprofit has a national Facebook site and Web site. Online donations to help recovery efforts following the devastating earthquake in Haiti reached $5 million as of Jan. 24, Abella said. It was far more than the $583,000 that was received through direct mail and the $1.8 million by lockboxes by the same date.

Information online can be updated continuously, so people can know minute by minute what the situation is like in Haiti and other disaster areas, Abella said.

"If it's a disaster, that's where the online community really comes through," Abella said.

Carlin Jones is doing his utmost to broaden his community through Facebook. Jones, marketing associate for the Arts Council of Kern, said he added every arts council with a Facebook page in the country, and a bunch outside of it too, as friends on the site.

Pandol, of Bakersfield Museum of Art, said admissions are up at the museum, but it's hard to say if that has anything to do with the nonprofit's Facebook presence. Still, she sees reaching people online as something that not only makes contacting people more efficient, but also as something that will continue to grow.

"It broadens our whole outreach effort," she said.