Hi Guys.
It’s been a pretty amazing year. Thanks beyond words for your support.
Here’s 2008 in review, starting back in January. – Fully-functioning OFFICE FACILITY (aka “The Bungalow”) established in Cocoa, Florida, along with our INTERN HOUSE, which is a house full of interns : )
– U.K. TOUR with The Rocket Summer, The Secret Handshake and Between the Trees. Introduced TWLOHA message at shows in England, Scotland and Wales. Made friends that became foundation of our future efforts in UK/Europe, including Olivia Tan, who came to USA for Summer 2008 internship.
– VALENTINE’S DAY DOESN’T HAVE TO SUCK:: AbsolutePunk.net Live Chat.
– AUSTRALIA : TWLOHA events in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Newcastle. Everything from a music store in Melbourne to a high school in Sydney to Soundwave Festival in Brisbane. Like our UK trip, we made friends that we remain in touch with as we plan the future of TWLOHA in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of that list is Gemma Lee from Melbourne, who spent three months interning with us in USA. In 2009, we’ll be back for all the Soundwave dates, and much more.
– INTERNS: Launched TWLOHA Intern program and a six-week SPRING BREAK INTERN ORIENTATION.
– UP IN ARMS Tour w/ Switchfoot and Athlete: TWLOHA introduced every single night on Switchfoot’s nationwide U.S. Tour
– ALTERNATIVE PRESS MAGAZINE: Innovators Issue.
– Jamie Tworkowski interviewed by Erwin McManus at Awaken Conference in Los Angeles.
– Jamie Tworkowski speaks at Q Gathering at Gotham Hall in New York City, honored to be one of 30 presenters invited to talk about shaping culture. Listen to the Q&A HERE.
– WARPED TOUR: TWLOHA Tent and team at every stop (all 46) on 2008 Vans Warped Tour. Over the course of the tour, we added 30,000 MySpace friends, surveyed 1,000 people and enjoyed countless conversations about TWLOHA and life in general. We’ll certainly be back for more in 2009.
– CORNERSTONE FESTIVAL: If you had ten minutes to speak to 10,000 people, what would you say?
– TWLOHA and POSTSECRET launch PICK UP THE PHONE campaign to save and support 1-800-SUICIDE
– PURPOSE FOR THE PAIN by Renee Yohe.
– VISION: The vision is that we actually believe these things…
– TWLOHA featured on NBC NIGHTLY NEWS W/ BRIAN WILLIAMS
– NEW FRIENDS: Invisible Children, charity: water, TOMS Shoes. We like these folks. We believe in ’em too.
– EAST COAST TOUR: “An Evening with To Write Love on Her Arms”. 12 stops between Atlanta and Lowell, Mass. Music by Josh Moore and Zach Williams.
– ALLIANCE OF YOUTH MOVEMENTS SUMMIT: TWLOHA was honored to be one of 17 movements invited to New York City for this first-of-it’s-kind gathering, organized by Howcast, Facebook, MTV, Columbia University and the U.S. State Department.
– CNN.COM: Live Interview w/ Jamie Tworkowski for “Young People Who Rock”.
– TWLOHA begins supporting treatment in the United Kingdom, via NIGHTLINE and MAYTREE.
– Moved by the film SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, TWLOHA donates an additional $10,000 in continuing to support the work of Apne Aap in India. Apne Aap is an initiative to end the sex-trafficking of women and children in India.
– Responded to over 50,000 messages between MySpace, [email protected] and [email protected]
– Over $320,000 donated to treatment and recovery in 2008!!
– STREET TEAM Nearly 10,000 members, from over 20 countries. Thanks for your support!!
– Gathered over 300 contacts on university campuses as we launch TWLOHA University Chapters.
– Over $30,000 raised thru SOCIALVIBE.
– Over 300,000 friends on MySpace. Over 400,000 members on Facebook Cause Page.
Thank you again for an amazing year.
Thanks for caring and for believing that hope is real and change is possible.
Happy New Year, and peace to you.
jamie and the entire TWLOHA team
PS: JANUARY 11, 2009: TWLOHA PRESENTS HEAVY AND LIGHT