The campaign has already reached its first goal of $50,000.
Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge of 2k14? Now there’s a new ALS challenge making rounds on the internet, and it makes dumping a bucket of freezing water on your head look like cake, and celebs including Shaquille O’Neal, Sharon Osbourne, and Jennifer Garner have already done it.
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral throughout summer 2014 to encourage donations to the ALS Association and research on the motor neuron disease. It was a huge success in raising awareness — more than 2.4 million tagged videos were uploaded to Facebook and raised over $115 million for the ALS Association, according to The New York Times.
This time around, the challenge is to take a bite out of a hot pepper.
This new twist on the Ice Bucket Challenge was born in late December, when the Haberstrohs family created the campaign in honor of their mother Patty, who was diagnosed with ALS in October.
“My mother’s wish this Christmas is to help find a cure for this horrible disease,” the campaign says. “So, us Haberstrohs came up with an idea. Think of it as an extension of the Ice Bucket Challenge… but with a spicy twist. The #ALSPepperChallenge.”
Challenge accepted!@paulpierce34, Jackie MacMullan & @Rachel__Nichols 👀🔥 #ALSPepperChallenge pic.twitter.com/8p8jlyhDuv
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 19, 2018
The premise is the same as the Ice Bucket Challenge — record yourself taking a chomp out of a hot pepper, nominate three people to do the same and upload it to social media under the hashtag #ASLPepperChallenge.
If you don’t want to eat the paper, you make a donation to the ALS Therapy Development Institute (and even if you do eat the pepper, you can still donate). This new revamp has already earned $50,000 in donations in its first month, which was the Haberstrohs’ original goal. Now, they’ve upped their goal to $1 million.
Some of the celebrities who have been nominated include Oprah, Garth Brooks, and 50 Cent.
Next time you’re at the store, buy a jalapeño and sweat for a good cause.