When many ask me to give them the latest on “Engagement” what they are really asking for is more information about social media tools. How can we have better commenting – answer by the way look at NPR’s system – or how can we use Twitter better – answer look at Planet Money?

But my main answer is that “Engagement” is more than using social media. It is also a physical activity focused on acting as the Trusted Host for the groups in your community. Groups who can do better if they came together as a larger group.

Engagement is not trivial. Engagement is surely more than being one of a thousand friends on Twitter or Facebook? Real Engagement is about committing your self to act on an issue that is important to you. It is bringing people together to do important things. When a couple is Engaged, they have made a promise to the world and to each other to act – to get married.

So what is really important to Americans today? It is the economy. What is the non trivial work to do? It is to get through all of this and to come out at the other end healthier as a society.

We need help to do this.

As millions of us struggle to save our homes in the mortgage crisis. As millions wonder what to do when they lose their job. We need help. But do we know what help is out there? Can we trust the help that we see?

In every city in America there are not-for-profits that can help. Not-for-profits that can be trusted. Not-for-profits that know what to do. But often they have no money or capability to get their message out – that they exist, that they can help and that you can reach them.

Worse, there are many many of these organizations that themselves, act alone. That also need help. That also need support.

Stations like WOSU in Columbus are going out to these not-for-profits and asking them if they would like to meet to explore how they can help each other and working with them to get their message of hope and help out to the people.

Public TV and Radio Stations are doing this in the hardest hit cities in America.

WOSU is working with 22 of these organizations in Columbus. This list will give you a sense I hope of the potential that can arise when we bring these organizations together.

Community Resource Partners

• Catholic Social Services
• City of Columbus Department of Development
• Coalition on Housing & Homelessness in Ohio
• Columbus Housing Partnership
• Community Research Partners
• Consumer Counseling Services of Central Ohio
• Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
• FIRSTLINK
• Franklin County Economic Development & Planning
• Franklin County Treasurer Ed Leonard’s Office
• Glenn School of Public Affairs
• Homes on the Hill
• IMPACT Community Action
• Key Bank
• Legal Aid Society of Columbus
• Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
• NID Housing Counseling Agency
• Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies
• Ohio Housing Finance Agency
• OSU Center for Real Estate Education & Research
• OSU Extension
• United Way of Central Ohio

While many of these organizations know each other, they often don’t know each other well. In some markets I have discovered that there is often some competition as well. With resources strained, it is easy to see the other not-for-profits as a possible competitor for money and help.

WOSU and stations all over America are using their power as a trusted convener to help the help that exists in your community. Over time, the stresses are diminished. Over time, the shared accomplishment builds morale and so builds more capability.

In St. Louis, where we have been acting as the host now for over a year, this “Platform” of Community strength gets stronger every month and now has a life of its own. Organizations can now contact each other directly, and can help more people as a result–if one organization can’t help someone, they now are able to refer him/her to the larger network they’ve developed.

We are renewing the social foundation of our communities.  We are using our abilities as public radio and TV stations to bring together people and organizations in the community.

In my next post I will talk a bit about how we are connecting the people to the help.