Chicago Entrepreneurs to Launch Innovative Non-Profit to Help People in Need Around the World

Nov. 4, 2011 - PRLog -- Chicago, IL  – Chicagoans John Roa, Ruairi Hyland and Kevin Lerash are proud to announce Digital Hope, a nonprofit organization that uses social media to orchestrate humanitarian projects around the world.

Digital Hope will use its innovative social web platform (set to launch in January 2012) to bring a “digital spotlight” to international projects around the world that will be helped by it’s creative fundraising website.  Digital Hope will spend time on-site with under-resourced international humanitarian organizations, featuring their efforts on www.digitalhope.org with video, photos and blog updates.  Short-term needs will be identified and fundraising for these projects will take place online to help the organizations’ specific needs.  This up-close and personal look at how Digital Hope’s fundraising is making a difference, will bridge the gap between the social web and those in need around the world.

“Digital Hope represents a dream I’ve had since I was a teenager: how we can use the infinite power of the web to help those in need,” said John Roa, one of Digital Hope’s three founders. “It took years of planning, the perfect combination of passionate co-founders, technological advances and external resources to make it come alive, but now that it has, it will change the way the world thinks about charitable giving.  We will save a life. We will put a roof over a family’s head. We will give a child a chance at a future. All via the social web.”

"Transparency is key when asking people to give money to charitable causes, and the amount of information Digital Hope will provide to donors is nothing short of revolutionary,” said Ruairi Hyland, Digital Hope co-founder.  “People will be shown exactly what every cent is being spent on when they are kind enough to donate, and they can rest assured that none of it will be spent on operational costs or salaries."

“Digital Hope is about being able to connect individuals across the world in unprecedented ways,” said Digital Hope co-founder Kevin Lerash.  “From someone’s laptop to another’s textbook, we aim to change the way people think and act about international charitable giving.”

While Digital Hope will focus on international projects, the organization tested its philosophy in May of this year in America when they helped the victims of the devastating EF5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri.  Digital Hope raised $1,000 a day via social media that allowed the organization to travel to Joplin to deliver 6,000 pounds of food, water, toiletries and clothing to help the survivors and volunteers on the ground.

The group has already chosen its first two projects, and will make an announcement Friday about the organizations they will help during the month of November and into the first quarter of 2012.

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About Digital Hope

Digital Hope, a nonprofit organization, uses the power of the social web to change the lives of people in need around the world. Harnessing the power of its innovative social platform, Digital Hope acts as a "digital spotlight" to bring exposure to international organizations (like orphanages and wildlife sanctuaries) that have tremendous short-term needs, and then puts together fundraising projects online so YOU can help them directly. Digital Hope was theorized in 2008 by John Roa and Kevin Lerash as a nonprofit organization focused on bridging the gap between the social web and under-resourced international humanitarian projects. For more information go to our website at http://www.digitalhope.org.