-By Jennifer Thiele Busch

Stanley Felderman grew up poor in the Bronx, but he overcame all that to become a successful architect and founder and partner of Los Angeles-based Felderman Keatinge + Associates (FKA). Nevertheless, those limitations—and subsequent liberating opportunities—he encountered in his youth have stayed with him as a motivating force, most recently lending energy to a new, socially responsible initiative called "Give Out Loud." Developed with his wife and business partner at FKA, Nancy Keatinge, and five other individuals from the United States and Canada (Cathy Dohmann, Bernie Dohmann, Craig Smith, Michael A. DiMuccio, and Loral Langemeier), Give Out Loud is intended to serve as a kind of social networking site for connecting anyone and everyone who has an interest in giving back.

"We all had different motivations," Felderman says of the group's reasons for creating Give Out Loud. Reflecting on his personal experiences that helped him escape the cycle of poverty, he notes, "There is so much untapped talent in disenfranchised areas of the world. It's a shame to waste that just because you are born on the wrong side of the tracks."

Now, Felderman and Keatinge are trying to push giving potential forward down a new track, utilizing the amazing capacity of the Internet to disseminate information and connect people, much in the same way that online search engines like Google and networking sites like Facebook have achieved widespread acceptance. "Give Out Loud will build a network of like-minded people to create a mechanism for giving and empowerment," explains Felderman. Not a charitable organization per se, but Give Out Loud is a connector between need and charitable giving.

The site, www.giveoutloud.com, has a stated mission to:

• Create a worldwide consciousness for giving.

• Establish a virtual community of people inspiring others to participate in the Give Out Loud community.

• Serve as a platform for individuals and multiple industries to come together for a common good.

• Serve as a platform for charities with different missions to work together for a common purpose.

• Track donations and their impact in real time.

All this and more is intended to create a ripple effect that will hopefully spread out to more and more people.

The "big picture" goals of Give Out Loud will focus on housing and education initiatives with a commitment to environmental responsiveness, but Felderman and Keatinge see its development morphing and evolving as more users become involved. The site is currently in the pre-launch phase (May 25 to June 30), where interested individuals and organizations will have the opportunity to make a financial commitment to become founding members, who will in turn act as the governing board for the site, overseeing its development and helping to establish its graphic identity. Minus the administrative costs of launching the site, the financial investment will convert to dollars that are applied to the founding member's charity of choice.

Keatinge hints that some celebrity names, major foundations, and international corporations likely will be in the mix of founders. And she notes the natural synergy between the interests of the design community and the site's focus on the environment, shelter, and education.

"This is not about a hand out, it's about a hand up," she says. "Ultimately our users will become part of the giving community." Anyone who wants to raise theirs can visit www.giveoutloud.com for more information on how to get involved.