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EVENT PRODUCTIONS

$125,000 Win!

Friendship Circle spreads word about
working with kids with special needs.

Cif IT

Bassie Shemtov, center, works with Friendship Circle staff to spread word of

the $1 million Chase Community Giving competition.

all the amazing public relations and
the amount of people watching us to
change society's impression of kids
with special needs. I agree with a par-
riendship Circle, a non-
ent's online comment: It's about time
profit organization in West
people understand these kids are not a
Bloomfield dedicated to
problem, but unique souls — without
helping children with special needs,
them we cannot learn what we are sup-
came in fourth place in the Chase
posed to learn.
Community Giving online competition
"The strategy is to get this message out
and won a total of $125,000.
around the world and empower our other
Invisible Children Inc. of San Diego,
Friendship Circles to do the same."
a group that helps prevent Ugandan
The competition taught the
children from being kidnapped and
forced to fight as rebel soldiers, won the Friendship Circle team the power of the
Internet.
$1 million prize after earning 123,990
"We all became social networking
votes on Facebook.
people when we were not, except for
The top 100 charities each won an
Rabbi Yisrael Pinson',' she said. "We all
initial $25,000. The top five finalists
grew tremendously.
won an additional $100,000 each.
"Without social networking, we'd
Friendship Circle received 59,023 votes
never have gotten to where we are now
from people in 124 countries and every
I believe we will go very strong with
U.S. state. Though celebrity recommen-
dations from Orthodox singer Matisyahu an online presence and speak to thou-
and Ivanka Trump helped, the effort truly sands and thousands at a time. It's a
gift to understand the value of social
was grassroots, starting from a nucleus
in West Bloomfield and spreading world- networking and make it big."
Teen volunteers, who understand
wide through the 80 Friendship Circle
the ins and outs of social networking,
affiliates and Chabad Lubavitch.
provided energy, creativity and out-
Locally, support came from all
reach. One teen got the Detroit Pistons
sectors of the Jewish community,
to announce the competition during a
including the Jewish Federation of
game, another connected Friendship
Metropolitan Detroit, Hillel Day School
in Farmington Hills, Akiva Hebrew Day Circle to Fox News and another secured
School in Southfield, NCSY youth group radio support from 95.5 FM's Mojo in
and many more. the Morning show.
"I can't believe how powerful teens
"Six or seven hundred responded to
are Shemtov said.
our initial e-mail asking for help, then
Other creative efforts included atten-
random people started the ripple said
Bassie Shemtov, co-founder of Friendship tion-grabbing actions during a Pistons
game and an attempt to break the re-
Circle with her husband, Rabbi Levi
tweet record on Twitter.
Shemtov."It became huge — our reach
"There was an overwelming amount
went over the entire world."
of
support, a feeling of real community
Details for spending the $125,000
We
felt part of one family. I was inspired
are not set yet, but Shemtov said, "We
—
it's
been a very special thing." n
want to take this money and leverage

Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor

F

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