Twitter has given up its top promoted spot to make sure that people across the world see the inspiring messages being sent out to and from Boston following the tragic events on Monday.
People tweeting messages with the hashtag #OneBoston have been sharing stories of hope and charity to raise the spirits of the city that’s reeling after two explosions claimed at least three lives and injured more than 170 people. Some tweeters are using the hashtag to raise awareness for the One Fund, a charity launched by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino on Tuesday to help the victims most affected by the blasts.
Donating its top promoted spot is nowhere near as easy as firing off a 140-character tweet, though. Companies pay about $200,000 a day to sit at the head of the list of trending items, according to Mashable.
The social networking site has joined an army of supporters who are offering their expertise, kindness and money to help survivors of Monday’s explosions.
Carlos Arredondo, a Bostonian whose son died in Iraq, came to the aid of a man who had both legs blown off after the explosion, according to Philly.com. He was there supporting a group that was racing in honor of fallen military members.
So many people have donated blood that the American Red Cross currently has enough blood on its shelves to meet demands.
And Reddit has come together to launch “Random Acts of Pizza,” so people can pay for pies to be delivered to first responders, survivors and people opening up their homes to those who were stranded after the marathon.
"This gives you faith in humanity," Brian Lapsley, a computer programmer from Oklahoma who helped organize the initiative, told The Huffington Post."It's been really inspiring."