Pay It Forward America
It seems that Pay it Forward is sweeping the nation! People are trying to help people in anyway they can. I know, I’ve even jumped on the band wagon myself a time or two. Why? Because it’s FUN!!! More than anything, its fun to help someone else out.
We’ve all seen the ‘take a penny - give a penny’ cups in the stores. This is similar to that only on a larger scale. What is Pay it Forward? It’s similar to a RAK - Random Act of Kindness, but on a monetary scale. In general, the cap on spending seems to be around $50.
This past November my son and daughter in law were entering Walmart with their twin babies, a lady came up to them with a $50 gift card. She just handed it to them with the explanation that she was ‘Paying it Forward’ and they looked like good candidates. Her only request was that as soon as they could, but no time limit, Pay it Forward to someone else.
It came just in time, my daughter in law was in serious need of a winter coat, which was going to have to wait another week (twins require a lot). With this surprise gift card she was able to get her much needed coat. Within 1 month they were able to pay it forward. How they did theirs? They purchased $50 worth of food and donated it to a food bank.
See how easy that was?
There have been times over the years that I have needed assistance, with raising 5 kids, you can imagine. I figure it’s time for me to pay it forward when I can. A person with whom I never met, but through circumstance I managed to hear her story. Or rather that of her daughter. Diapers and wipes it is! With maybe a little extra for milk bread etc.
Pay it forward is a wonderful idea and I am loving it!
It wasn’t as easy as you’d think. The lady in question lives on the other side of my state. I tried calling Walmart to place an order over the phone. It couldn’t be done. I offered to go to Walmart and make the purchase and have the order be picked up at another Walmart store. This still was not possible. I tried the online store, in the hopes that I could purchase it online and it could be picked up at their closest store. That didn’t work either. They only have certain items that are ‘site to store’. I was in a bit of a quandary, I had given my word that I would do this, and now was finding my hands were tied.
Finally I did the only thing I could do. I drove to my local Walmart store and bought a money gram. She can pick up the cash at any Walmart of her choosing. Things like this should be easier.
I have come up with an idea for others to Pay it Forward - It involves a website.
Here is my idea:
Get someone to help me build a website called Pay it Forward America. Make it a people helping people - strangers helping strangers type site.
Make it non-profit.
Get companies to help sponsor the site, such as Walmart, Visa, Kmart, local grocery stores etc.
Make it user friendly
Easy to donate
Donations are capped at $50 increments, no more than $50 can be given to one person. A person can make as many donations as they wish, but no one person can receive more than $50.
Giving or Paying it Forward should be something that each individual WANTS to do, not something they feel they should have to do. Some folks just don’t get out enough to be able to Pay it Forward. Or maybe the don’t know how to do it. That is what the website would be all about.
For instance you by chance happen to have a few extra dollars $10 - $20 or even $50 and you feel that it’s time you helped someone out. Rather than stand in the front of a store looking for someone you think might need it, you come to the website and make a donation.
The website will then send a gift card to someone who has been registered to receive. It will have to be monitored, I hate to say this but there are people around who will try to take advantage of the generosity of others. How? If the receive a gift card, they cannot be put back on the receiving list until they have done their share of paying it forward on the site.
The giver can choose to remain anonymous or their name put with the gift card, only a first name. They will also be able to choose the type of gift card to be sent.
The receiver can check a list of the type of gift cards they might like to receive. Maybe they are in need of a tire for their car, obviously a grocery card won’t work. This is where a Visa card would come in handy.
The gift cards would come in handy so the person can buy what they need.
The sponsors’ names would be on the website, possibly on the card that is sent along with a Pay it Forward logo.
I feel this could just be a start of something Great!
Is this a pipe dream? I don’t know. I believe that it can work. I am truly in the hopes that I can get this going. Any ideas would be great.
