GivesMeHope
 | This article contains promotional content. (May 2012) |
 | |
Type of site | Blog (user-generated) |
|---|---|
| Owners | Emerson Spartz and Gaby Spartz |
| URL | givesmehope.com |
GivesMeHope (GMH) was founded in May 2009 in response to the popular site, FMyLife (FML), itself a spin-off of popular French website Viedemerde.fr.[1] It is part of the Spartz Media Network.[2] On the site, people share with the world their most hopeful, uplifting moments while answering the question, "what gives you hope?"[3] According to Quantcast, GivesMeHope receives over 500,000 hits every day.[4] As of August 5, 2009, the website has over 160,000 fans on Facebook.[5] A book containing stories from the site was released in the Fall of 2010[6]
History
The site was co-founded by Notre Dame graduates Emerson Spartz and Gaby Montero.[7] Exhausted by the negativity of the media, they created GivesMeHope.[8] The two refer to the site as "Chicken Soup for the Soul – the 21st Century, Twitter-style version."[3]
GivesMeHope has inspired movements of hope across the country. At Henry M. Gunn high school in Palo Alto, California, four students committed suicide in a period of 8 months. To cope with the grief, students created a blog, modeled after GivesMeHope, to provide a place for members of the community to share their uplifting experiences at the school. The blog was named HMGGMH (Henry M. Gunn Gives Me Hope).[9]
Another movement of hope inspired by GivesMeHope is Operation Beautiful, a website whose mission is to end "Fat Talk.” [10] Participants of Operation Beautiful leave anonymous post-it notes with encouraging messages in public places for other women to find and be inspired by.[11]
The site has received attention from the media due to its uplifting nature.[12] On August 2, 2010, CNN stated that GivesMeHope was a website that may "help renew your faith in the goodness of the human experience." CNN described the stories as "sentimental and, at times, almost heartbreakingly sweet."[13]
On December 30, 2009, the two launched a GivesMeHope spin-off site LoveGivesMeHope.com (LGMH). The site aimed at those who "can't get enough of the love stories on GivesMeHope".[14] As of August 5, 2010, LoveGivesMeHope has over 160,000 fans on Facebook.[15] The stories are shared widely on platforms such as Facebook. Since February 1, 2010, the site has produced some stories that have been shared over 565,000 times on Facebook.[16]
Book
On August 3, 2010, the two creators officially announced that a book was planned for release in Autumn 2010. The book was published by Ulysses Press, and is a combination of old and new illustrated anecdotes from the website.[5]
See also
References
- ^ Matt Sullivan. Esquire: "GivesMeHope.com: When Bankruptcy, Plane Crashes, and Mondays Get You Down" June 1, 2009.
- ^ "Spartz Media: Our Brands". Spartz Media. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- ^ a b Emerson Spartz, Gaby Spartz. GivesMeHope: "About GMH"
- ^ Quantcast: "GivesMeHope Quantcast"
- ^ a b Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. GivesMeHope: "GivesMeHope Official Fanpage"
- ^ http://www.givesmehope.com/gmhbook
- ^ Nancy Johnson. Notre Dame Business Magazine: "Emerson 2.0".
- ^ WSBT Evening News (CBS 22): "Need some good news?" Jul 16, 2009.
- ^ Maria L. La Ganga. Los Angeles Times: "Palo Alto campus searches for healing after suicide" October 30, 2009.
- ^ Nordette Adams. Blog Her: "Gives Me Hope and Operation Beautiful: Can You Change the World With Positive Thinking? Yes." February 1, 2010.
- ^ FOX 35 Orlando: "Operation Beautiful" Jul 6, 2009.
- ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Spartz. GivesMeHope: "GMH Press Page"
- ^ Tas Anjarwalla. CNN: "8 feel-good websites to brighten your day" August 2, 2010.
- ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Spartz. LoveGivesMeHope: "About LGMH"
- ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Spartz. LoveGivesMeHope: "LoveGivesMeHope Official Fanpage"
- ^ Nick O' Neil. All Facebook: "LoveGivesMeHope Goes Massively Viral Thanks To Facebook" May 25, 2010.
External links
- Official website
- LoveGivesMeHope – Spinoff site
- GivesMeHope's book on Amazon.com