PORTLAND, Mich. — In the days following the shooting at Michigan State University, people from all over have thought of ways they could help the Spartan community.
Two alumni with a small, family-owned business in Ionia County, are doing what they can to spread love and support, and they're doing it through t-shirts. Thousands of them.
"I realize it's just a t-shirt, but there is a bigger meaning that surrounds it," said Gabe Viscomi. "It's really more of a community thing."
Gabe Viscomi and his wife Brittany graduated from Michigan State University in 2007. In 2011, they started Nudge Printing just doing wall decals, but have since grown their business into a much bigger printing operation, having licensed partnerships with more than 60 schools and universities across the country. One of them of course, is their alma mater, Michigan State.
As an official printing partner with MSU, and it being a place close to their hearts, they knew they needed to do something above and beyond, after hearing about the tragic shooting that killed three students and injured five others.
"Our first thought was, is it real? It couldn't possibly happen at my university," said Gabe Vicsomi. "It's just heartbreaking."
"I'm just feeling for the families, you know, because I have children, and we talk about them going to Michigan State," he added. "So we spent a lot of time talking about the good sides of things and how everyone is coming together to help one another, and that's really why we wanted to do a t-shirt. This was our way of trying to help the community."
Now, Nudge Printing is working with MSU and several other partnered shops to create shirts that say 'Spartan Strong.'
"I'm really hoping that when someone wears the 'Spartan Strong' t-shirt, that they're going to essentially feel strength in numbers," Viscomi said. "That they are going to feel that they are a part of a much larger community than they could have imagined, and that they aren't alone."
RELATED: Spartan Strong fund to cover funeral costs, hospital bills for students in MSU mass shooting
Nudge Printing is donating 100% of the proceeds to what's called the 'Spartan Strong Fund,' which was created by the university to benefit the victims and their families, current and future students, and any safety improvements that may be needed on campus.
"My hope is that the money we raise is really going to make a difference for the students, the families, and the university," said Viscomi, "and that people are going to be able to benefit from the generosity of all the people that are buying these shirts."
Viscomi said when they announced the sale of the shirts for pre-order last Thursday, the 500 they'd planned for sold out in only an hour. Now, several days later, they've already sold nearly 10,000 shirts, and the number just keeps growing.
"It's really unbelievable the amount of people that have ordered and continue to order," Viscomi said. "And yeah, it's going to be a lot of late nights printing, but if there was ever a time that qualified having a team work overtime and working late nights it would be this."
If you'd like to buy a shirt or help donate, head to nudgeprinting.com. You can also learn more about the Michigan State University 'Spartan Strong Fund' and find other ways to help support it by clicking here.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.