Pay It Forward

http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/home.html

WHAT IS “PAY IT FORWARD”?

“Pay It Forward” is a book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but it's also an idea. It's an action plan within a work of fiction. But does it have to be fiction? We're hoping not. In fact, since the book was released in January of 2000, a real-life social movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. What began as a work of fiction has already become much more.

Reuben St. Clair, the teacher and protagonist in the book “Pay It Forward,” starts a movement with this voluntary, extra-credit assignment: THINK OF AN IDEA FOR WORLD CHANGE, AND PUT IT INTO ACTION. Trevor, the 12-year-old hero of “Pay It Forward,” thinks of quite an idea. He describes it to his mother and teacher this way: "You see, I do something real good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to Pay It Forward. To three more people. Each. So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do twenty-seven." He turned on the calculator, punched in a few numbers. "Then it sort of spreads out, see. To eighty-one. Then two hundred forty-three. Then seven hundred twenty-nine. Then two thousand, one hundred eighty-seven. See how big it gets?"


Pay It Forward Foundation board member Charley Johnson has introduced a new web site, a great location where anybody and everybody can submit their PAY IT FORWARD stories and also post comments, visit the website here.
http://payitforwardnow.blogspot.com/

Charley and the Pay It Forward Foundation have officially gone through 150,000 bracelets in the past 6 months with a 2nd batch of 100,000 just received. http://www.cryanhyde.com/payitforward_wristband.html
These bracelets have made their way to 5 continents (Asia, Europe, N. America, Australia & Africa) and over 50 countries.

The website says, "We are just getting started, but Charley feels something very BIG is going to happen with Pay it forward in 2008, something that is going to change the world. We agree. Let's prove him right!"


I remember seeing this movie and thinking, "What if this REALLY caught on?!!!" This site shows that the phenomenon is real. You can click on a list of REAL stories and be inspired by what is happening out there in the world.


After I saw the movie, I couldn't wait to read the book. It is mostly the same, but different. I recommend either seeing the movie, or reading the book---or BOTH!

My goal is to actively do three Pay It Forward gestures this week. I'll keep you posted, and if a good story comes out of it...I'll post it to the official site.