Keys for Hope
Posted on March 20, 2008
Freshman class president Bennett Resnick said he thinks it’s easy to be passionate about eliminating poverty, but it’s more important to follow through.
As co-founder of the non-profit organization, Key for Hope, Resnick followed through.
Key for Hope is a non profit organization that collects unused keys, melts them down and sells the metal to recycling companies to raise money for health care facilities in southern Africa.
“One key may not seem like much, but to a family that has nothing, it could mean everything,” co-founder Ralph Greenberg, 45, of Avon, Mass., said.
Greenberg and Resnick started Key for Hope in 2006.
“Our idea was a simple one,” Greenberg said. “We had to think of something that people have. Not a lot of people have money for charity, but everyone has keys.”
The duo paired up during Resnik’s junior year at Kents Hill School in Maine and have raised more than $20,000 dollars through keys and private donations so far.
“It’s exciting that it has taken off so fast,” Resnik said. “We’re such a new non profit, but we’ve talked it up a lot and have tried to get the word out as best we can.”
As class president, Resnick has used his voice to attract the attention of JMU students.
“Being involved in the program is great,” Dan Smolkin, freshman class counsil member said. “We’re very eager to enlighten students on the cause.”
Resnik has not only implemented the program at JMU, but has contacted other universities about starting programs of their own.
“I’m talking to Virginia Tech and UVA right now to see if they would consider implementing the program on their campuses,” Resnik said.
Resnik has also tried contacting celebrities such Alicia Keys to back Key for Hope, but with no response, he is still searching.
“A lot of celebrities already have their own agenda,” Resnik said. “But a non profit starts to get huge when a celebrity becomes involved.”
Resnik and Greenberg hope to take Key for Hope to a national level and want to eventually provide key sorting jobs for the homeless of Massachusetts.
“My goal has always been to help the underdog.” Greenberg said. “I want Key for Hope to help as many people as possible.”
Key for Hope is currently focused on building hospitals and updating existing facilities in Namibia. The program will help other African countries once healthcare goals are met in Namibia.
Resnik and Greenberg plan on touring Africa next year to meet with government officials to discuss implementing Key for Hope programs in their countries.
