It’s an amazing truth of the 21st century that strangers can come together and make fantastic things happen with a few words and the click of a button.
The internet continues to grow and the social networks that are people are forming online are very real, very strong, and ultimately, very powerful.
Chicago Soup is a prime example of how one person, and ultimately a community (both on and offline) can change the world. Mari Luangrath, President Foiled Cupcakes of Naperville, IL, is well-versed in the power of social media. Her business has greatly benefited from social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook. And, it was a single Tweet that led to the creation of Chicago Soup.
Wanting to skip sending out the annual load of holiday cards that were sure to end up in the trash bin, Mari sent a tweet out that she was thinking of donating cupcakes instead – 250 cupcakes to be exact.
“ILO mailing out Christmas cards, I’m thinking about donating 250 to a local charity. Thoughts?” This simple message comprised of 16 words started a chain reaction that would affect hundreds and ultimately, thousands of lives.
Within a day, eight Chicagoland food businesses and hundreds of Chicagoans responded with a resounding “YES!” From there, a virtual movement was born.
The mission of Chicago Soup is simple:
“Bring awareness to efficiently-run local charities and non-profit organizations that might benefit from some pretty freaking awesome word-of-mouth buzz.”
And, the first of what is sure to be many victories has been celebrated. On Thursday, February 25th, I had the pleasure of being present during a ceremony in which Teen Living Chicago was awarded $100,000 from Chase bank.
Teen Living Programs won this money as a result of votes they received online from Twitter and Facebook fans of the members of Chicago Soup.
The 100K awarded to the Teen Living Programs will help the organization cover the approximate 20% loss of donations the group has experienced this past year. The money will help the organization continue to provide much needed food, shelter and education for Chicago’s homeless youth.
Approximately 2,000 youth have no place to call home on any given night in Chicago. Nearly 9,000 youth experience homelessness in any given year. And sadly, this number is on the rise due to the current economy.
The gift awarded to Teen Living Programs was a combined effort of committed businesses, concerned individuals, and a virtual community that joined together to change the world. There is no telling how these efforts will change the lives of the children impacted.
However, there can be little doubt that the impact for the children who are lucky enough to find or be found by Teen Living is a positive one.
Words can change the world. And, tweets may just be the way it all begins.
Members of Chicago Soup Include: Foiled Cupcakes, Wildfire, Fiji Water, Wow Bao, Hub 51, Nacional 27, Monami Gabi, Food Life, Big Bowl, Food Tree, C2, Beyond the Pedway, and Dining in.
To Learn More About the various programs mentioned click on the links below:
- Teen Living Programs
- Chicago Soup Organization
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Twitter
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Amy Leigh, Internet Marketing and Communications Consultant, works with small businesses, entrepreneurs, consultants and Fortune 50 companies. Her articles appear on and offline on popular websites and in renowned journals; she specializes in Article Marketing, Online Marketing, and the development of Passive Income Streams. Contact Amy at writer@amy-leigh.com.
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