What is the Minnow Support Project?
It is a collection of minnows helping each other with the assistance of several Witness and Whale level individuals to back everything up with experience and power.
How does it benefit everyone?
Everyone gains the ability to boost a single post every 12 hours with the power of a whale-bot of sorts. 
Why is the community so great?
This is that rare thing on the internet. A real, friendly, honest community that helps each other without malice or ulterior motive. When a minnow is down because of a flag-war or content problems, they help. When you don't have a single idea what to write, someone decided to put up a bounty to describe the MSP and you have something to do. ( Thanks 
But it's tiny right?
You might think that a community this strong is small. That is the only way it could be strong, right?
Nope, approaching 2000 members, it is expected to pass that this weekend, and hasn't really shown signs of slowing. You really should be in here helping us break that number and go far beyond it. Get in at the start of something amazing for this SteemIt thing.
Summary
In short, they are the place you should be spending your time on your way to Dolphin/Whale status, and where you should stay once you are there. Help each other, and we all thrive.
They focus on content quality and curation, not on vote for vote or follow for follow mechanics. They create and add true value to SteemIt as a whole.
Join them. Support them. Love them.
Thanks -