User:Juliette87/GivesMeHope

GivesMeHope
Type of site
Blog (user-generated)
OwnersEmerson Spartz and Gaby Montero
URLhttp://www.givesmehope.com
LaunchedMay 31, 2009
Current statusActive

GivesMeHope (GMH) was founded in May 2009 in response to the popular site, FMyLife (FML).[1] On the site, people share with the world their most hopeful, uplifting moments while answering the question, "what gives you hope?"[2] According to Quantcast, GivesMeHope receives over 500,000 hits every day.[3] As of August 5, 2009, the website has over 150,000 fans on Facebook.[4] A book containing stories from the site has been announced for release in the Fall of 2010.[4]

History

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The site was co-founded by Notre Dame graduates Emerson Spartz and Gaby Montero.[5] The two refer to the site as "Chicken Soup for the Soul - the 21st Century, Twitter-style version."[2]

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).[6]

Another movement of hope inspired by GivesMeHope is Operation Beautiful, a website whose mission is to end "Fat Talk.” Participants of Operation Beautiful leave anonymous post-it notes with encouraging messages in public places for other women to find and be inspired by. [7]

The site has received attention from the media due to its uplifting nature.[8] 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."[9]

Book

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On August 3rd 2010, the two creators officially announced that a book was planned for release in the Fall of 2010. The book will be published by Ulysses Press, and will be a combination of old and new illustrated anecdotes from the website.[4]

LoveGivesMeHope

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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".[10] As of August 5, 2010, LoveGivesMeHope has over 150,000 fans on Facebook.[11] The stories are shared widely on platforms such as Facebook. Since February 1st 2010, the site has produced some stories that have been shared over 565,000 times on Facebook.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Matt Sullivan. Esquire: "GivesMeHope.com: When Bankruptcy, Plane Crashes, and Mondays Get You Down" June 1, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. GivesMeHope: "About GMH"
  3. ^ Quantcast: "GivesMeHope Quantcast"
  4. ^ a b c Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. GivesMeHope: "GivesMeHope Official Fanpage"
  5. ^ Nancy Johnson. Notre Dame Business Magazine: "Emerson 2.0".
  6. ^ Maria L. La Ganga. Los Angeles Times: "Palo Alto campus searches for healing after suicide" October 30, 2009.
  7. ^ Nordette Adams. Blog Her: "Gives Me Hope and Operation Beautiful: Can You Change the World With Positive Thinking? Yes." February 1, 2010.
  8. ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. GivesMeHope: "GMH Press Page"
  9. ^ Tas Anjarwalla. CNN: "8 feel-good websites to brighten your day" August 2, 2010.
  10. ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. LoveGivesMeHope: "About LGMH"
  11. ^ Emerson Spartz, Gaby Montero. LoveGivesMeHope: "LoveGivesMeHope Official Fanpage"
  12. ^ Nick O' Neil. All Facebook: "LoveGivesMeHope Goes Massively Viral Thanks To Facebook" May 25, 2010.
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