Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness (RAOGK) is a web-based genealogical research co-op that functions solely by the services of volunteers. Volunteers from any part of the globe may offer services to any requester, such as research of birth and death records, public records, obituaries, marriage records and deeds. Other volunteers photograph burial sites, cemeteries and tombstones. Any fees requested by the volunteers are reimbursements for actual costs involved, such as gas mileage, photocopying, record fees, or postage. However, in most cases, the services are rendered free of charge in the spirit of offering a random act of kindness to a stranger in search of family ties. Thus the name of the organization came into being from the nature of the services offered.
It was originated by two researchers in 1999 who saw the need for such a service in their local area. The small website grew very rapidly from being solely a statewide offering to an international service with some 4,300 volunteers around the world and a staff of about eight, also volunteering their time. In 2007, more than 71,000 requests were handled by the system, 10% of them to volunteers outside of the USA.
As of October 16, 2011 the website is down indefinitely. [1] Bridgett Schneider, the primary person behind RAOGK, passed away on November 12, 2011. Schneider's husband, Doc, who also helped start RAOGK, has stated that RAOGK will be back online shortly.[2]
Awarded 101 Best Websites 2010: Best Big Genealogy Sites by Family Tree Magazine. RAOGK has won many awards[3] and has been featured in smaller local papers such as The Daily News, Jacksonville NC[4], the Lorain Morning Journal, OH [5], and the St. Petersburg Times, Florida[6] — as well as AARP Magazine and the New York Times[7] for the unique service it offers to researchers.