Nuhook, an online dating site where people can anonymously message romantic interests through other social networks, is holding an interactive Spring Semester Online Contest between UT fraternities and sororities.

On Feb. 1 at approximately midnight, 22 Greek organizations began “tagging” social network users in an effort to raise money for the Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.

Denise Koessler, marketing director for Nuhook.com, hopes the competition will gain user interest and benefit the charity.

“We designed this contest to give back to the community and also launch the service,” Koessler, Ph.D. student in electrical engineering and computer science, said. “We kind of came up with this as a way to get Knoxville on the map as a city that can adopt a high tech company. We plan on going to other similar university towns and repeating the contest.”

Nuhook founder Yoav Koenig is a Knoxville resident and an IT manager. Koenig launched the website December 2011 with hopes of alleviating the awkward, and potentially dangerous, aspects of current online dating sites.

Users of Nuhook can “tag” or message friends from Facebook, Twitter or another social networking site.

“Lots of the existing services do not provide a way to connect with people you already know,” Koessler said. “You’re forced to go on a blind date. I personally have girlfriends that have (Match.com accounts) and they ended up getting stood up. One of them ended up in a really scary situation.”

Koessler said the website is an opportunity for people to escape the “friend zone.”

“It’s just a way to not miss that opportunity,” Koessler said. “You probably think about a guy or girl that you liked. What would have happened if you had a way to safely ask them out?”

Nuhook will award each sorority and fraternity a point for every tag. First, the site will award $5000 to either all participating sororities or fraternities to use towards the Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. $2000 will be awarded to the fraternity and sorority chapter who gained the highest amount of points for their chapter’s house.

Jillian Smith, Delta Delta Delta president, plans on using the money towards their charity instead of their chapter house.

“We could use any of the money for a house that we’re building, but we thought it would be a great idea for St. Jude,” Smith, junior in communications, said.

In the last year, the sorority has donated $87,000 dollars to St. Jude and is currently the highest donor for St. Jude among other Tri Delta chapters.

Smith was glad Nuhook decided to team with the Greek community for a philanthropic effort.

“I think philanthropy and philanthropic events are important across our generation in the first place and I believe the Greek community is an easy way to get excited about these things,” Smith said. “It’s easy for people to get involved and it’s for a specific purpose. It’s our generation...that needs to uphold that.”

All UT fraternities and sororities were invited to participate. Below is the list of participating chapters: Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Sigma, Lambda Chi Alpha, FIJI, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Sigma Kappa, Pi Kappa Alpha, Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Nu, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Delta Gamma, Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Zeta, Farmhouse, Phi Delta Theta.