Bethany Christian Services launches social media hub to help connect families

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM) -- Bethany Christian Services announced this week that it's launching a comprehensive social networking outreach campaign.

The program would serve as a social media hub, utilizing sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook to help connect prospective families.

"This is really now a push or the next jump into social media. We're going to use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and more," said Bethany Information Officer Gary Kuyper. "A bunch of sites to really engage our clients."

The goal is to bring together and eventually to use the tool to find adoptive families and care for orphans.

"Bethany touches the lives of about 40,000 people," Kuyper said. "These are social events. It gives our clients the opportunity to really 'friend' Bethany, become more aware and connect."

Kuyper said using the latest online media is nothing new for Bethany. The agency was one of the first to have a website back in 1994.

"We're in business today because we adapt to change... this is one of those changes we have to make," Kuyper said while scrolling through the agency's twitter page.

Since it's launch on Monday, the service already has nearly 300 Facebook members. They hope to double that number both there and on Twitter in the next few months.

"Life is about relationships," Kuyper said. "And social media is all about the next step in developing those relationships."