RESPECT! Challenge
RESPECT! Challenge 2012
At the heart of the 2012 RESPECT! Challenge is a simple question: Who would you like to thank for teaching you Respect? Futures Without Violence launched the RESPECT! Challenge to identify the ordinary heroes who made an extraordinary impact in our lives. By promoting individuals who encourage positive solutions to violence, we helped raise awareness and spark a discussion about the importance of role models.
With the help of AKQA, Wildfire+Google, and AOL’s in-house creative unit, we launched the Challenge in September 2012. Participants were asked to record a video or write a short essay thanking the people in their lives who taught them the meaning of Respect. The interactive campaign for Facebook invited participants to post their videos and notes for their communities to see and share.
To encourage participation in the RESPECT! Challenge, we teamed up with celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Willie Mays, and America Ferrera for a video PSA. The stars talked about the people in their lives who have helped shape who they are today, and encouraged others to do the same. The response was tremendous: people from all around the country paid tribute to the ordinary heroes who have positively impacted countless lives. They thanked and honored mothers and fathers, siblings and grandparents, teachers and coaches, and more.
The RESPECT! Campaign, offered two grand prize winners $10,000 to donate to the school or non-profit organization of their choice, an all-inclusive VIP trip to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and a $500 Macy's gift card.
In November, we announced the two winners: Alandra Abrams of Philadelphia, PA, and Amanda Forsmark/Saginaw Teen Advisory Council of Saginaw, MI. Alandra recognized her music teacher, Mrs. Karen Michalka, who supported Alandra in difficult times and inspired her to become a music teacher as well. The Tilden Middle School in Philadelphia benefitted Alandra’s $10,000 donation. The Saginaw Teen Advisory Council thanked their community role models – from friends to teachers to family – for teaching them about Respect. Health Delivery, Inc., which operates a health center at Saginaw High School, was the recipient of their $10,000 donation.
Founding National Partner
Macy's is the Founding National Partner of the RESPECT! Campaign and proud to support local and national education and awareness programs that promote positive solutions for healthy relationships. Since 2008, through support from customers and associates, Macy's has helped to raise more than $5 million dollars for the RESPECT! Campaign. Together, we will continue to spread awareness about the impact, and promote positive solutions to prevent relationship violence.
The RESPECT! Campaign is an initiative of Futures Without Violence.
