Take the $20 Challenge!

This past month, firm president, John Messersmith, gave all KPM attorneys and staff a crisp $20 bill and a challenge: Spend the money however you wish – but spend it on someone other than yourself – and then tell us what you did.  What resulted was a waterfall of good deeds and warm feelings that made the world just a little bit better.

About a third of the money was donated to about a dozen different charities, churches or other community organizations.  Others followed their love of animals by helping shelters, SPCA and other animal care groups while another significant percentage helped their local schools or scouting organizations.

Among some of the more heartwarming stories, a large group pooled their money in order to fund school lunches for children who otherwise would go hungry during the course of a school day.  Many matched or otherwise contributed additional funds for this cause and as a result, two local schools essentially had their lunch programs funded until the end of the school year.  Countless children had their days immeasurably improved. Given the impact of nutrition on learning, we may never know just how much impact this seemingly small thing had on some of those children.

About 20% did all manner of acts of “pay it forward” from buying food or drinks for people behind them to covering medical co-pays for seniors at the drug store. Speaking of seniors, one individual bought and potted a few small plants to bring to residents in a local seniors’ home.  The real gift was in the time spent visiting with each of the recipients.

Another couple of people split the money up to perform several small acts of big kindness.  One hit almost all of the categories above; a charitable organization, a homeless person, a person in line who was short some change and an animal charity.

Some acts of kindness sparked others to also act, such as the person who gave their $20 to a clearly hungry homeless person and then told a relative who was so moved, he went back to the spot and took the homeless person to a hotel for at least one night with a shower and a comfortable bed.

It’s most satisfying to share with you the ways in which ordinary people make the world a better place.  Hopefully, it is an exercise that continues to move others to continue to pay it forward endlessly. It certainly seems that the world could use some more kindness.

Take the KPM Challenge!  Do something positive for someone else and let us know about it! We’d love to hear from you by commenting on the blog.

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