CHANGE
v. to make radically different
n. a fresh set of clothing; money

Change t-shirts 52 times in 2010 to raise awareness and funds for 52 world changers.

What do you change for?


Wednesday, May 12, 2010

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS

To Write Love on Her Arms (TWOLHA) began as a story.

A real story typed on a computer and posted on the social networking site: MySpace.

It began as one story written to help one friend.

This story, however, did not remain on the page for long—it leapt from the confines of a computer screen to inspire a movement.


Since its inception in 2006, TWLOHA has reached hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from depression, suicide, and addiction.

Jamie Tworkowski wrote the story: “To Write Love on her Arms” after witnessing the struggle of his suicidal friend, Renee Yohe. In an effort to raise awareness about Renee’s tragic condition, Jamie posted her story (TWLOHA) on his MySpace page, and sold t-shirts to raise money for her rehab treatment.

The result was overwhelming.


Tworkowski’s friends wore the TWLOHA t-shirts while playing on stage and hundreds of people soon contacted and connected with Jamie via MySpace to tell their own stories of suffering from depression and addiction.


TWLOHA burst into a growing movement as stories continued to pour into Jamie’s inbox and MySpace page. He was inspired to connect and create a community of love and support for the hundreds of thousands of people who had written to him since his initial post in 2006.


While TWLOHA gives a large amount of the donations it receives to other organizations that help with treatment and recovery, TWLOHA serves people struggling with depression and addiction by informing and inspiring them to focus on the goal of treatment and recovery.


The small team at TWLOHA “responds to MySpace messages and emails everyday. That’s the heart of what we do. That's the most important piece; it is the interaction and being in a place to encourage people who are hurting. In so many cases, those are folks talking about these issues, sharing their struggles, asking for help, for the very first time.”


Through social media outlets such as MySpace, and now, Facebook and Twitter, TWLOHA has received a large following of fans as well as victims crying out for love and support. TWLOHA initiatives to raise support for those suffering from depression and suicide include concerts; UChapters, TWLOHA clubs at colleges; MOVE, a workshop about how to overcome “stigma and shame with honesty and compassion.”


TWLOHA is inspired by the impact of community.


Instead of merely giving people tools to promote TWLOHA, their goal is to teach people how to understand and address these issues, to help people in every day life who may be suffering from depression, addiction, and suicide.


What movement will your next MySpace or Facebook post ignite?


Please visit twloha.com for more information.

(To Write Love on Her Arms offers hope and finds help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.)

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