Social Media All-Stars Unite to Create "The Social Cookbook" to Benefit InvisiblePeople.tv

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InvisiblePeople.tv has teamed up with BakeSpace.com and some of the most visible people in social media to create “The Social Cookbook” – a first-of-its-kind app-based fundraising cookbook to raise funds to fight homelessness.

“We wanted to come up with a technology that democratizes cookbook publishing and helps nonprofits like InvisiblePeople sweeten their fundraising efforts.”

Created with BakeSpace's Cookbook Café digital publishing platform, “The Social Cookbook” is available for download on the iPad via the free Cookbook Café app, as well as online as a web-based e-book. It includes personal recipes from 19 highly respected social media influencers - from Chris Brogan and Liz Strauss to Brian Solis and Beth Kanter.

The cookbook costs $2.99 to download, and all proceeds (after Apple’s App Store fee) go to support InvisiblePeople.tv and its efforts to fight homelessness using the power of social media. The organization is a nationally-recognized 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2008 by Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal on Twitter). Its mission is to empower the homeless to tell their stories, build community and connect with support services by helping them get online and have a voice.

To build “The Social Cookbook,” a list of all-star social media influencers contributed their favorite personal recipes including:

David Armano’s “Popo Mikey’s Famous Stuffing & Mom’s Turkey Gravy” (@armano)
Chris Brogan’s “Poor Man’s Shepherd's Pie” (@chrisbrogan)
C.C. Chapman’s “Soggy Saturday Wings” (@cc_chapman)
Claire Diaz-Ortiz’s “Sugar Cookies” (@Claire)
Sarah Evans’ “Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes with Bananas” (@PRsarahevans)
Jason Falls’ “Potato and Egg Salad” (@jasonfalls)
Sean Gardner’s “Lasagna” (@2morrowknight)
Beth Kanter’s “Kachumber Salad” (@kanter)
Jason Keath’s “Dirty Greek Eggs” (@jasonkeath)
Shira Lazar’s “Shira’s Social Sangria” (@shiralazar)
Stefanie Michaels’ “Eggs ala Salsa” (@adventuregirl)
Amy Neumann’s “Simple Homemade Pickles” (@CharityIdeas)
Amber Naslund’s “Chicken Tortilla Soup” (@ambercadabra)
Lee Odden’s “Philly Cheese Steak Rolls” (@leeodden)
Jeff Pulver’s “Jeff Pulver’s Jackson Hole Shakshuka” (@jeffpulver)
Peter Shankman’s “Mom’s Calming Noodles and Cheese” (@petershankman)
Mari Smith’s “Mom’s Scottish Shortbread” (@marismith)
Brian Solis’ “Tortilla Espanola” (@briansolis)
Liz Strauss’ “Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich” (@lizstrauss)

“I love that this cookbook brings together some of the most visible people in social media to help some of the least visible people in our society,” said InvisiblePeople.tv Founder Mark Horvath. “I’m grateful to everyone who helped create ‘The Social Cookbook,’ as well as everyone who downloads it to help fight homelessness.”

To preview excerpts from the cookbook and learn more, visit http://bit.ly/thesocialcookbook.

“Fundraising cookbooks have been around for a long time, so our goal for Cookbook Café was to update the publishing process and make it easier, more efficient and more rewarding,” said BakeSpace.com Founder Babette Pepaj. “We wanted to come up with a technology that democratizes cookbook publishing and helps nonprofits like InvisiblePeople sweeten their fundraising efforts.”

Cookbook Café enables anyone (individuals, groups, brands, etc.) to publish a cookbook as both a web-based e-book and an iPad app quickly, easily and at no cost.

Once a cookbook is published, the author can give it away for free or sell it to the world for profit or fundraising. Cookbooks are sold online and on the iPad via Cookbook Café’s community-driven marketplace, which makes it easy for shoppers to discover even the most niche cookbooks. “The Social Cookbook” is the first cookbook published using Cookbook Café’s new groups feature, which enables groups of any size to crowdsource recipes and work together to build a cookbook.

Earlier this year, Cookbook Café was recognized by the Webby Awards and the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) in the best social app and use of new technology categories. The do-it-yourself publishing platform includes: 1) The free Cookbook Café iPad app with cookbook storefront and reader, 2) A web-based version of the storefront and reader accessible via any web browser, and 3) A web-based book builder that automatically publishes each cookbook as both an iPad app and web-based e-book. More information about Cookbook Café is available at http://CookbookCafe.com. To make an original cookbook, visit BakeSpace.com/cookbooks – it’s free!

About InvsiblePeople.tv

InvisiblePeople.tv is a grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2008 by Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal on Twitter) to fight poverty and homelessness using the power of online social media. The organization launched its sister site - WeAreVisible.com - in September 2010 as a resource to educate homeless people, help them get online and connect with support services. After building a successful career in television syndication, Mark found himself homeless in 1995 following a battle with addiction. He worked hard to clean up his act, and was living comfortably by 2007 with a three-bedroom house and a 780 credit score. But then the recession hit. After several layoffs and a foreclosure, he was once again facing homelessness. That’s when Mark launched InvisiblePeople.tv with just $45 and a budding interest in social media. More information is available at http://InvisiblePeople.tv and http://WeAreVisible.com.

About Cookbook Cafe and BakeSpace.com

Launched in 2006 as the Web’s first food social network, BakeSpace.com has been described by USA Today as “the closest thing to a Facebook-like food site.” It has earned numerous Webby Award honors including back-to-back nominations for “Best Social Network.” The company's ‘Cookbook Café’ publishing platform is the first DIY digital publishing tool that enables anyone to create, market and sell a cookbook as both a native iPad app and a web-based eBook. BakeSpace also produces the TECHmunch Food Blogger Conference, which is held in cities across North America. More information is available at http://BakeSpaceMedia.com.