Entrepreneur is Encouraging the World to 'Pay it Forward'
28-year-old has already distributed 500,000 Pay It Forward bracelets internationally
SALT LAKE CITY, UT, October 30, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A 28-year-old entrepreneur from Salt Lake City, Utah, wants to change the world. Charley Johnson, the executive vice president and co-owner of SnugZ USA (a promotional products company that is also the largest U.S. manufacturer of lanyards—visit www.snugzusa.com) is embarking on an international campaign to have individuals "Pay It Forward."
In 2004, Johnson became acquainted with the Pay It Forward Foundation, established by author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Hyde created the foundation in 2000 to educate and inspire students to realize that they can change the world, and provide them with opportunities to do so.
Johnson says he loved the foundation's message—that pay it forward is a mindset and lifestyle more people need to pay attention to and practice every single day. So, Johnson came up with the idea of working with SnugZ to manufacture silicone bracelets with the phrase, Pay It Forward.
"The bracelet is just a simple reminder in a fast-paced world to help others, and it is also a starting point for many people to change their thoughts on the world," he said.
Johnson decided to produce these bracelets and distribute them at no cost on the foundation's behalf. For more information on how to obtain bracelets, interested persons can visit www.snugzusa.com
Johnson is now a member of the Pay It Forward Foundation Board of Directors. To date, more than 500,000 of Johnson's Pay It Forward bracelets have been distributed to classrooms, schools, businesses and individuals in six continents and 53 countries. Johnson's ultimate goal is to send 1 billion bracelets around the world. "The average bracelet actually changes hands five or more times, so it's easy to see the type of impact potential we have with this simple product. It's no coincidence that so many new Pay It Forward stories are popping up all over the world," he adds.
The goal of Pay It Forward is to put people in a better mindset, and to remind everyone that the world can become a better place through simple, small gestures of kindness. Pay It Forward shows that you don't need to be a millionaire to change the world—you simply need to keep an eye out for others. I've found that when people are in a better mindset, they are more likely to help other individuals and worthy organizations with their time and money," Johnson says.
He added, "If you want to see the full effect a simple Pay It Forward bracelet can have, go to lunch today and buy a meal for the person behind you. After the shock of the person goes away, remove your bracelet, hand it to him or her, and ask that person to pay it forward. Then, just walk away. You'll quickly see how addicted you become to taking care of others, and seeing the response you receive from a single act of kindness."
As part of his efforts, Johnson has also established a blog, www.payitforwardtoday.org where people can post their experiences with the bracelets.
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