Steve Hofstetter has taken thefacebook.com beyond poking to a more noble cause — Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
The 25-year-old standup comic, head writer for collegehumor.com and facebook friend of more than 180,000 people is donating one cent to the Red Cross for each of his more than 3,600 facebook friends in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Hofstetter originally used facebook as a marketing tool for his standup comedy career — his quest to get 100,000 facebook friends began on Christmas Eve, and his career has steadily improved since then.
He also donated to the tsunami relief effort through facebook on New Year’s Eve by donating two cents for every facebook friend he had.
He has spread the word to his facebook friends about his new quest — helping Hurricane Katrina victims by encouraging donations.
“I’m not famous yet,” Hofstetter said. “But I took what audience I had and I tried to use it the best that I could.”
Hofstetter’s friends have already raised $10,000 and should bring in $15,000 total, he said.
“College students have no money and have different priorities,” Hofstetter said. “People don’t realize that two-cent donations help.”
He said he wants to encourage other people to donate.
“The only reason that I’m publicizing this is to inspire others to give,” Hofstetter said.
He said that if each of his facebook friends donates $6, they will have given over a million dollars.
Hofstetter said he suggested that his friends donate to the Red Cross, but they should really donate to whichever relief effort they believe to be the best.
“I think it is great that people are using facebook to help make a difference after Hurricane Katrina,” said Laura Pugnet, a student at SUNY Albany and one of Hofstetter’s facebook friends. “Every little bit helps.”
Hofstetter said he will donate one cent per Louisiana and Mississippi thefacebook.com friend to the Red Cross again on September 11.
Hofstetter said he thinks Hurricane Katrina is one of the worst things that has happened in the country.
“It’s worse that anything I’ve ever seen,” Hofstetter said. “I had no idea how bad it was.”
Hofstetter said it is important for people to help as much as they can — through money, a kind word or a joke.
“Now is the time when people really need to laugh,” Hofstetter said. “Our country needs help within before we can deal with problems elsewhere.”
Contact Julie Chance at [email protected]