Why Ripple exists
Around Thanksgiving 2025, doctors diagnosed my brother Julian with T-ALL, a type of leukemia. I was 15 and he was 20. Since then, he has received more than 50 bags of blood. I remember watching him receive blood and feeling like I couldn't do anything except pray and trust his doctors, until I thought of Ripple. Julian is still fighting. His case is rare, and he still needs blood and platelets.
One donation can start thousands. Ripple exists so the first donation is never the last one.
Who built it
Ripple was designed and built by Manuel Rzezak, a student at David Posnack Jewish Day School, as his entry in the Congressional App Challenge.
How it is built
Next.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL and Prisma. Donations are logged with one-time codes that blood centers hand out on printed cards or send by text or email. The points ledger is append-only and hash-chained, the referral graph is immutable after signup, and the cascade runs through every ring with no depth limit.
Where it is going
- Now: one-time donation codes on cards, by text or by email, unlimited rings, sponsor marketplace, admin and center portals.
- Next: a pilot with one blood center handing out donor cards and texting codes.
- Then: stem cell and bone marrow registry sign-ups through NMDP, where one match is one life.
- Later: more regions, native apps, and organ donor registration.
Contact
[CONTACT EMAIL: set NEXT_PUBLIC_CONTACT_EMAIL]
Start my ripple