Pay It Forward

Kyle and I were blessed in 2011.  It was a very good year.  The greatest blessing being my scholarship that now pays for all of my school. Amazing! I still can't believe it!


We decided at the end of 2011 that in the new year we would "pay it forward" by donating to different charities each month.  We try to pick charities that are meaningful to us and that we know will do the most good.

In the beginning of the year, we supported Pet Rescue by Judy.


I cannot tell you how much Judy impacted our lives. We were simply looking at cats on her site one day.  Yes, like match.com for pet owners and we saw Minnie.  We looked at over 100 cats, but for some reason she stuck with us. I think it was because her description said "lap cat".

We placed an application and by the weekend she was home with us.
She's not so "mini" anymore. But she is an angel. She brings so much joy and love to our home.  I held her A LOT when she was a kitten, so she's very, very loving.

Yesterday,  I was checking out one of the boards for FitFluential Ambassadors and I came across a donation opportunity that moved me.  It's called "Adopt A Classroom" program.

The Mission Statement of “Adopt A Classroom” reads as follows:

Adopt-A-Classroom increases opportunity for student success by empowering teachers with community partners and funds to purchase resources for the classroom.

The FitFluential team has adopted two classrooms in an effort to help them raise funds for books and supplies. There is a school in Joplin, MO, and one in Dallas, TX.

Here is a little background on the schools "adopted" by FitFluential.

The first class is a 5th grade class from Joplin, MO:

Recently, our school was destroyed by a tornado. Everything in the classroom is gone. We are not able to get into the classroom. Next year we will have over 50 3rd graders who will not have a classroom library, supplies, or reading centers/areas. Many have lost their homes and I would love for them to have a safe place to heal and learn.

To read more and/or donate to on this classroom you can go here:http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/classroomdonation/results_teacher.aspx?classroomid=143777

The second class is a 4th grade class located in Dallas, TX:

My students come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. They do not have access to many resources outside of their immediate community. My Students need class sets of novels to read. They also need incentives to reward their efforts. By providing books and incentives I can make sure that all my students have a level playing field.

To read more and/or donate to on this classroom you can go here:http://www.adoptaclassroom.org/classroomdonation/results_teacher.aspx?classroomid=154803

I was blessed to have wonderful teachers and they truly helped make me the "nerd" I am today.  I love to read and was encouraged to do so early on.  

Kyle & I both agreed that this month's donation should go to the school in Dallas, TX.  

Yeah - it was a Cowboys fan based decision! :) But ultimately it's about giving kids a chance to reach their full potential. A chance that I believe is built on a quality education.

We recieved an email today from the teacher.  She was very grateful.  We also recieved another email letting us know how the funds were spent.

I would love to encourage you to donate to any of these causes if you feel so compelled...but bigger than that spread the word.  PAY IT FORWARD! Celebrate the good in your life by sharing the love.

Source: etsy.com via Heather on Pinterest

What is your favorite charity?

Love and giving,
Carissa & Kyle