Pay it 4ward for Metro Detroit jobs!

It seems like everywhere I go around Metro Detroit, everyone is talking about Goodwill’s Pay It 4ward campaign. It has been gratifying to see Goodwill “top of mind,” especially during a summer of bad news. I have been touched to see Metro Detroiters helping fellow Metro Detroiters by giving whatever they can in a campaign envelope and passing it on.

This campaign has generated so much interest that when it came time for the planned end the campaign, our sponsors convinced us to keep it going until the end of September. It has been special to see people understand how simple a concept it is and how they can play role no matter how small. I’ve received emails from folks who have passed the envelope around in their offices and got a quick $25, $50 or $100….knowing they made a difference. I even went to my golf league one Wednesday night and someone, never identified, had started an envelope around the dinner tables and I came back to Goodwill the next day with a nice contribution to the campaign.

I know there are those who say, “Hey, you never know, if someone is taking the envelope and keeping the money.” Frankly, in this world of great need, if someone really feels that they need that little extra help, we have helped someone as well. Overall, we have chosen to trust our community and that has proven to be a wise choice.

We have also been invited to be one of the non-profits to benefit from various community efforts like Arts, Beats and Eats during Labor Day and last weekend’s Kem concert in Detroit. Check the link out (www.payit4warddetroit.org <http://www.payit4warddetroit.org/> ) and be part of our efforts. Everyone knows how important it is to help each other. And it is easy when we pay it forward, because we never know when we might need help ourselves.