Website lets people pay for prayers while financially helping communities

Praying just got philanthropic: PrayerSpark enables people to send spiritual, interfaith prayers, affirmations and blessings to anyone while financially helping a community in need.

Founder and Summerlin-area resident Michael Feder is one of 17 men and women — and one of four from the United States — named as a finalist for a new award that honors interfaith relations in business.

“Business leaders are increasingly aware they have a responsibility to do good and not just make a profit,” he said. “Part of doing good is addressing some of the really tough challenges we face.”

The Global Business & Interfaith Peace Awards are given by the Religious Freedom & Business Foundation. The winners are set to be announced Sept. 6 during the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Brian Grim, president and founder of the foundation, said the finalists were selected based on four areas: the nature of their core business; their social investment and philanthropy; their advocacy and public policy engagement; and their partnership and collective action in their communities.

“These business leaders show you don’t have to check your faith at the door when you come to work,” Grim said. “You can bring your whole self to work, and when you do, you see places where you can make a difference in the issues of the day.”

Feder said he was inspired to develop PrayerSpark when the late Nelson Mandela asked supporters to pray for him while in the hospital.

“And I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if there was some way to deliver really amazing prayers from incredible people doing great things in their community?’ ” he said.

PrayerSpark charges for a group of spiritual leaders to say a prayer on your behalf. The company donates 82 percent of revenues to its communities. While requesting a blessing is free, there is a 99-cent donation to get an email back. Other options, such as sending a greeting card or flowers, charge more.

The business model has the prayers currently being paid for by sponsoring institutions. Feder anticipates 1,000 subscribed users locally by 2017.

PrayerSpark’s revenues benefit the local endeavors of spiritual leaders who are replying to prayer requests. In Las Vegas, the Rev. Willie Jones, founder of G.O. Sounds Performing Arts Academy, which helps at-risk youths and juvenile offenders, is a recipient of the revenues. Also, pastor Charlotte Morgan of the Indigo Valley Church, which works with gay and lesbian communities, is part of the network locally.

They can use the funds as they see fit. So far, Feder said about $1,500 had been distributed.

A key component is having prayer requests acted upon in a timely manner, he said, and the reason “spark” was used in the name. Feder cited studies showing that people who receive prayers require less medication and leave the hospital sooner.

“Now, if you have a broken leg, we don’t say to pray in order to (fix it), we say, ‘Go see an orthopedic surgeon.’ But prayer has been proven in double-blind studies to work really, really well in certain situations — depression, pain management, those kinds of things, where people feel they’re being supported,” he said.

By the end of the year, Feder sees the company securing venture capital and in 10 years having expanded to include a SparkFest festival — a gathering of spiritual leaders, with indigenous crafts, food and art for a two-day international event.

“I would love to do it in Vegas,” Feder said. “We have upwards of 60,000 followers on Facebook, and we’re not even really launched as a company.”

Visit PrayerSpark.com.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.