Inspirational Twitter-Style Website GivesMeHope.com Receives 185,000 Hits in Its First 24 Hours
Called "Bite-size, Chicken Soup Stories for the Twitter Generation" - visitors share their most hopeful, uplifting moments and raise money for charity.
LaPorte, IN, June 06, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Less than a few hours after the website launched, GivesMeHope.com (GMH) rose to the #1 highest-voted story on Digg.com, ahead of all other news stories occurring on May 31st. Digg.com, where users vote on the most important stories, is the 54th most-visited website, according to quantcast.com. GivesMeHope.com was in the “Top 10 Hottest Urls” of May 31, according to alexa.com. The next day, Esquire.com ran a feature on GMH.
GivesMeHope.com was created in response to the popular site, FMyLife.com, where people post stories (“FMLs”) - 300 characters or less - about the horrible event that ruined their day. FML is the 307th most-visited website, and gets 122 million hits per month.
GivesMeHope.com was created by MuggleNet.com founder Emerson Spartz, 22, and DailyCute.net founder Gaby Montero on May 31, 2009. Spartz said, "We were tired of hearing about what was wrong with the world. The negativity of the media exhausted us, and we knew we couldn’t be alone feeling like this."
Montero said, "The site is meant to be a source of hope and inspiration for people who are struggling, or those who just enjoy celebrating others’ victories. Reading about great things happening to good people can be very empowering. You feel like you can handle anything life throws at you."
“Everybody could use a few more reasons to have hope. We created this site because we believe the future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope," she added.
One GivesMeHope.com user commented, "I found this website tonight, and I was feeling lower than low. I just can't get over this one girl, who just doesn't see me yet. It’s a bit pathetic but all the same. Thank God I found this site. It made me cry… it's beautiful. I cannot thank whoever created this enough. GivesMeHope.com GMH."
Another said, “I found this website today. I have been really depressed lately and considered dropping out of college. This website has given me hope to get help and continue my schooling. GMH”
Emerson Spartz, 22, is from Indiana. At the age of 12, Spartz created MuggleNet.com - the most-visited Harry Potter site in the world. In 2005, JK Rowling invited Spartz to her home for an interview. He currently manages a staff of 120 volunteers. Spartz is the co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Book "MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7", which sold 350,000 copies. Spartz's new book, "MuggleNet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died", hits bookstores June 2. He has been profiled in the New York Times, TIME Magazine, US News & World Report, and USA Today. Spartz has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, MTV, and other stations.
Gaby Montero, 21, is from Quito, Ecuador. She is the founder of DailyCute.net, a popular website featuring pictures of cute animals. Montero and Spartz are both recent Notre Dame graduates.
The two intend to use the site to raise money to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of America, an organization whose purpose is aligned with GMH’s mission. Spartz said, “I’m inspired by the impact my local Boys and Girls Club chapter has made on my community, providing opportunities for children who have little hope.”
In addition, Spartz has pledged to donate 100% of the net proceeds from his new book to raise awareness of GivesMeHope.com and its mission.
Contact: Emerson Spartz - staff@givesmehope.com - (219) 363-2461
Example Stories:
VaBookworm87: “Freshman year, there was a crippled girl bound to a wheelchair. For 4 years, she did physical therapy and progressed to crutches. When we graduated a few weeks ago, she handed her crutches to an officer and walked across the entire stage. The applause from the seniors was deafening. She cried the whole way. GMH”
Skylark87: “I recently finished an amazing internship at a local high school and hoped to get a job there after graduation. Unfortunately the position I was hoping for ended up not opening. My boss contacted me recently and called me in to discuss job options. She told me she was willing to take a $7k pay cut to open a new position for me. GMH”
Clarebear14: “Two years ago, I tried to kill myself by swallowing a bottle of painkillers. My online friend, who I'd never met, was the only person who knew. He called 911, and they pumped my stomach to save my life. Today, I got my bachelor's degree in sociology. I'm starting grad school in August. GMH”
Sam: “During WWII, my friend's grandpa was captured and tortured, but he refused to reveal his mission. The Japanese said if he didn't spill, they would kill the other five captured men. He wouldn't budge. He escaped, but he had to live with their blood on his hands. 25 years later, he found out they all lived. Not a single one talked. GMH”
MattB: “I woke up one morning to hear the birds outside my window and my mother cooking breakfast downstairs. I've never cried so much in my entire life. I had been deaf since the age of 8. GMH”
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GivesMeHope.com was created in response to the popular site, FMyLife.com, where people post stories (“FMLs”) - 300 characters or less - about the horrible event that ruined their day. FML is the 307th most-visited website, and gets 122 million hits per month.
GivesMeHope.com was created by MuggleNet.com founder Emerson Spartz, 22, and DailyCute.net founder Gaby Montero on May 31, 2009. Spartz said, "We were tired of hearing about what was wrong with the world. The negativity of the media exhausted us, and we knew we couldn’t be alone feeling like this."
Montero said, "The site is meant to be a source of hope and inspiration for people who are struggling, or those who just enjoy celebrating others’ victories. Reading about great things happening to good people can be very empowering. You feel like you can handle anything life throws at you."
“Everybody could use a few more reasons to have hope. We created this site because we believe the future belongs to those who give the next generation reason to hope," she added.
One GivesMeHope.com user commented, "I found this website tonight, and I was feeling lower than low. I just can't get over this one girl, who just doesn't see me yet. It’s a bit pathetic but all the same. Thank God I found this site. It made me cry… it's beautiful. I cannot thank whoever created this enough. GivesMeHope.com GMH."
Another said, “I found this website today. I have been really depressed lately and considered dropping out of college. This website has given me hope to get help and continue my schooling. GMH”
Emerson Spartz, 22, is from Indiana. At the age of 12, Spartz created MuggleNet.com - the most-visited Harry Potter site in the world. In 2005, JK Rowling invited Spartz to her home for an interview. He currently manages a staff of 120 volunteers. Spartz is the co-author of the New York Times Bestselling Book "MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7", which sold 350,000 copies. Spartz's new book, "MuggleNet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died", hits bookstores June 2. He has been profiled in the New York Times, TIME Magazine, US News & World Report, and USA Today. Spartz has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, MTV, and other stations.
Gaby Montero, 21, is from Quito, Ecuador. She is the founder of DailyCute.net, a popular website featuring pictures of cute animals. Montero and Spartz are both recent Notre Dame graduates.
The two intend to use the site to raise money to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of America, an organization whose purpose is aligned with GMH’s mission. Spartz said, “I’m inspired by the impact my local Boys and Girls Club chapter has made on my community, providing opportunities for children who have little hope.”
In addition, Spartz has pledged to donate 100% of the net proceeds from his new book to raise awareness of GivesMeHope.com and its mission.
Contact: Emerson Spartz - staff@givesmehope.com - (219) 363-2461
Example Stories:
VaBookworm87: “Freshman year, there was a crippled girl bound to a wheelchair. For 4 years, she did physical therapy and progressed to crutches. When we graduated a few weeks ago, she handed her crutches to an officer and walked across the entire stage. The applause from the seniors was deafening. She cried the whole way. GMH”
Skylark87: “I recently finished an amazing internship at a local high school and hoped to get a job there after graduation. Unfortunately the position I was hoping for ended up not opening. My boss contacted me recently and called me in to discuss job options. She told me she was willing to take a $7k pay cut to open a new position for me. GMH”
Clarebear14: “Two years ago, I tried to kill myself by swallowing a bottle of painkillers. My online friend, who I'd never met, was the only person who knew. He called 911, and they pumped my stomach to save my life. Today, I got my bachelor's degree in sociology. I'm starting grad school in August. GMH”
Sam: “During WWII, my friend's grandpa was captured and tortured, but he refused to reveal his mission. The Japanese said if he didn't spill, they would kill the other five captured men. He wouldn't budge. He escaped, but he had to live with their blood on his hands. 25 years later, he found out they all lived. Not a single one talked. GMH”
MattB: “I woke up one morning to hear the birds outside my window and my mother cooking breakfast downstairs. I've never cried so much in my entire life. I had been deaf since the age of 8. GMH”
###
Contact
GivesMeHope.com
Emerson Spartz
219-363-2461
www.givesmehope.com
Emerson Spartz
219-363-2461
www.givesmehope.com
Contact
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