Winners of the Spark Tank Competition at .ORG Expo

We are excited to announce the results of the SPARK TANK competition, one of the most riveting sessions at the very first .ORG Expo, powered by Charidy and Powwow Events. This competition brought together four innovative nonprofit organizations to pitch their groundbreaking projects to a panel of esteemed judges and an engaged audience. 

Each finalist had five minutes to present their pitch, followed by a dynamic Q&A session with the judges. The judges, including Boruch Ber Bender, Founder of Achiezer; Zalman Katz, Chief Development Officer at Bonei Olam; Captain Eli Rowe, Founder & President of Hatzolah Air; Shlome Steinmetz, Founder & CEO of PivotGroup, and Shay Chervinsky, CEO of Charidy, deliberated after each presentation. The audience also participated by casting their votes, acting as the sixth judge; this was only announced at the event itself by the event moderator Aryeh Hurwitz from Charidy. 

The Spark Tank competition offered nonprofits the chance to win cash prizes awarded as matching donations for their future Charidy campaigns, the winnings were sponsored by Charidy.

The Winners:

First Place – $20,000: The Friendship Circle of Wisconsin’s SafeTalk Program

Offering 4-hour training sessions to help teenagers and adults identify and support friends who may be suicidal, this program has a proven track record of saving lives shortly after training sessions. The presenter explained that many institutions interested in providing the training were reluctant due to the cost, therefore the prize money would be used to subsidize the training costs and make the training more widely available. 

Second Place – $10,000: Renewal of Life

Facilitating life-saving kidney transplants within the Jewish community, Renewal of Life presented an emotionally compelling case for how the prize money would be used to purchase tests, potentially resulting in up to 300 transplants.

Third Place – Free Charidy Campaign: Helping Hands Food Ko-op

This organization provides kosher food at reduced costs to families in need and credit to those who can’t afford even the reduced prices, all while respecting recipients’ privacy and dignity. The presenter explained that the prize money would help offset funding shortfalls and be used to hire grant writers to secure more funding.

Fourth Place – Favor.it

A revolutionary chesed app offering ride-sharing, package delivery, and a platform for chesed requests within the frum community. They emphasized the app’s security protocol, which includes photo ID verification and rabbinical references, to ensure the safety of community members. The founder asked for funding for further development. He highlighted the potential of the community-driven system and the significant engagement they have already achieved.

Raffle Winner – $5,000 H.O.P.E. (Hands on Parents Empowerment) Foundation:

H.O.P.E.’s mission is to educate and empower the community in the prevention of anxiety, productivity, and mental health challenges. 

The raffle prize was open to organizations that submitted an application and attended the expo but were not selected as finalists, ensuring that every participant had a chance to benefit from the event.

During the presentations, the audience was visibly moved by the heartwarming stories and innovation of the organizations. Two judges were inspired to pledge additional support: Boruch Ber Bender pledged $5,000 to Renewal of Life, and Captain Eli Rowe pledged $10,000 to Helping Hands Food Ko-op.

The Spark Tank competition showcased the outstanding work being done by these organizations and highlighted the collaborative spirit of our community. By supporting these projects, Charidy continues to empower nonprofits to achieve their missions and create lasting change.

Stay tuned for more highlights and insights from the .ORG Expo in the coming weeks!