Pay it Forward Stories 2019

We were planning on finding a family in need, but we found a few and couldn't pick just one so we originally bought 3 Walmart gift cards to help with groceries and basics. We were planning on using the rest to purchase gas cards but were informed they had to be purchased with cash so we ended up buying more Walmart cards and disbursing them evenly among the families.

One of the families was a guy who pulled my wife out of the ditch when she went off the road while I was at work. The other couple families have children who are sick and we figured they could use a little relief right now.

The non-profit organization that received the giving card was the Aware school in Anaconda MT. Aware delivers service for children and families with challenging mental health, emotional, and physical disabilities. The staff there was able to purchase items to help the children with anger management, skills for life, and some new coats for a few of the young children. One of the therapist there did share a story with me that she used the giving card to purchase a journal with positive sayings in it for a whole year and told her to write in every day to help her overcome her challenges in life. Thank you for making a difference in theses kid's lives. Much appreciation.

Sincerely,
Robert Sandoval

Jeff Ament is the base guitarist for the band Pearl Jam. He has a non profit that builds skate boarding parks around the state. In June they are building a park in Alberton MT. I have given Jeff the 500 dollar pay it forward card to help with this project. I have been a long time fan of this charity as I feel it can help kids have an interest and be active that are a lot of times missed especially in smaller communities. Alberton is a nearby community that has a long time connection with and many rail road families living in and around. I am proud to be able to give this donation and be a part of the Washington Corporations.

After prayerfully considering who to give my gift card to, I decided to give it to Ms Jan.
I guess had no idea of the impact and the perfect timing of this gift. After I made out a card for her, my wife gave it to Ms Jan after church on a Sunday since I work. Later that evening Ms Jan pulled into our driveway. She was crying and kept saying, " you have no idea".

After giving me a huge hug she told us that she was retiring after 30 years of teaching this May. She has been cleaning houses 3-4 nights a week just to make ends meet. She went onto explain that at times she didn't have 2 pennies to rub together to make a spark. Now her only car was having car trouble and needed new brakes, she wasn't sure where the extra money would come from.

In our everyday lives that we live, we sometimes have "no idea" what others are dealing with in their personal lives. As I saw Ms Jan at the post office this past week, I asked her if she got her car fixed. She said yes, thanks to you. It wasn't thanks to me, it's thanks to Dennis and Phyliss Washington Foundation for giving me the opportunity to "Pay It Forward".

Once again, the Pay It Forward Giving Card made a difference in my community of Anaconda. I reached out to the Anaconda Community Foundation to create a list of people who either serve others and are in need of help themselves, or a person or project in need of assistance. From the list given me, I selected the following recipients:
1. $200 to Rosemary M. Rosemary is in her 70’s, and is a semi-retired Registered Nurse. She has an ailing husband and a severely mentally ill adult grown son under her care. Yet somehow, Rosemary takes advantage of her three story aging home to take someone in who is living in their car or on the street. Rosemary takes into her home total strangers, gives them 60 days to find a job, and while they are looking she feeds, shelters, and clothes them. Rosemary has a very limited income and often goes without filling her own needs to serve these strangers. When presenting Rosemary the check from the Pay It Forward gift, she began to cry and said that her van had just broken down and she was short money to pay for its repairs. The $200 gift strengthened her giving spirit and provided for the repair to her van.

2. $100 ($20 each) for graduating Anaconda Job Corps Students. The Anaconda Church of Christ has had a ministry to Job Corps Students since 2003. Church members have seen many students over the years and provide a home cooked meal each Sunday and a temporary “family” while they are away from home. This April and May, five of the students will be graduating. The members always give $20 in cash to the students as they graduate and send them on their way. The students have little funds to get them started once leaving the Job Corps. The church is giving the $20 to each student as they graduate with a card explaining the gift is from Cory Spehar and the 2019 Pay It Forward Giving Campaign from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation.

3. $200 to Matt B. Matt is a father of three young children and is always “giving back” to the community of Anaconda. He is passionate about working with young people and is engaged with Anaconda Community Intervention, which helps to prevent substance abuse in a community with high poverty and suicide rates. In addition, Matt and his wife are striving to open a small business that will no doubt be another gathering place for youth in Anaconda. This gift gave a little boost to a busy father’s bank account and also encouraged him to continue to give to our community. Matt will no doubt continue to “pay it

I decided to give my giving card to a fellow co-worker and his wife who are trying to have a baby. They are doing invitro-fertilization which is very expensive and I would like to help see their dream come true. This money will be used to help with their expenses during this process. I am very thankful to Montana Resources for the opportunity to have this pay it forward gift. Thank you Dennis and Phyllis.

Mr. and Mrs. Washington, Thank You for the gift of Pay it Forward.

WeMontana! is a local nonprofit that my family is involved with that is focused on education, specifically music, public speaking, and a even logical thinking class. They are currently offering these classes at no charge. Just in the first semester, there are already 39 in choir and 23 in band. This gift will help with supplies to improve the acoustics for recitals and concerts. Here is their mission statement: "Mission -- We, Montana! is a fledgling nonprofit aimed at making our world a little better by facilitating lifelong learning and engagement in various ways. We initiated a homeschool chorus program in Fall 2018, and will continue that throughout 2019, as well as starting a new homeschool band offering, a public speaking class, and a class on singing techniques. If this is successful, we look forward to offering many other things in the future." This is a community-minded group looking to expand with local talent shows and community gatherings.

Thank You for your generosity and allowing your employees to help with these projects.

My wife and I started out doing random acts of kindness, we would see someone at the gas pump and if they looked as if they could use the help we would buy their gas. We also did this at McDonalds buying someone's meal. Then we gave the remainder to a family of five who's mother is pregnant and the father had gotten laid off. We told them that the Washington's had allowed us to bless them! Thank you for the opportunity to bless others!

I donated the card to Horse Creek School in Cartwright, ND. Attached is the thank you letter Ms. Tosch

We, at Horse Creek School, would like to say THANK YOU SO much for the generous donation! We are a one room schoolhouse, grades K-8, located on the ND and MT border. The school has been around since the early 1900’s! We are one of the only functioning schools like it around!

I struggle finding funds to properly engage all the grade levels. I will have 6 grade levels next year and will use this money to purchase MUCH needed equipment and supplies for the school! Along with books that are leveled to each age group.

Sincerely,

Ms. Tosch, Iris, Lily, Hitch, Hoyt, Jude, Elice, Henri

I am paying it forward to a local sports team that was started last year. Since it is a new organization, the funds will be used to buy equipment for the team and any start up fees like insurance for the team.

I was happy to have been one of this year's "Pay It Forward" card recipients, and I forwarded it to the National Mill Dog Rescue in Colorado. Here is their story....

National Mill Dog Rescue was established in February 2007, in honor of a forgiving little Italian Greyhound named Lily. Theresa Strader, NMDR’s Founder and Executive Director, rescued Lily from a dog auction in Missouri. Prior to that day, Lily spent the first seven years of her life as a commercial breeding dog, a puppy mill mom. During her years as a breeding dog, Lily spent her days confined to a small, cold wire cage. She was never removed from her cage for exercise or socialization. In her dreary confines, Lily was forced to produce one litter after another with no respite. Like all commercial breeding dogs, she was a veritable breeding machine whose worth was measured in only one way – her ability to produce puppies.

By seven years of age, Lily was worn out. Commonplace in the industry, she had received little to no veterinary care throughout her life, the result of which, for her, was terribly disturbing. Due to years of no dental care, poor quality food, rabbit bottle watering and no appropriate chew toys, the roof of Lily’s mouth and lower jaw had rotted away. Her chest was riddled with mammary tumors and she was absolutely terrified of people. Strader brought Lily and 12 others home from the auction and declares that even for a highly seasoned rescuer, the following months were the education of a lifetime in rehabilitation. That she would take up the cause for the mill dogs was never in question, and the vision for National Mill Dog Rescue was born. Determined that her years of living in misery would not be in vain, Theresa started NMDR, giving a voice to mill dogs across the country.

Run almost solely by volunteers, National Mill Dog Rescue pledged to put an end to the cruelty of the commercial dog breeding industry, more commonly known as puppy mills. Through rescue and education, NMDR continues in its life-saving work while enlightening the public about the truth of pet store puppies. NMDR has taken a national approach to their efforts, and they have rescued and placed 14,001 dogs since their inception in 2007. These dogs are now living as cherished family members across the United States.

After her rescue, Lily spent the remainder of her life as a beloved member of the Strader family where she received medical care, warmth and companionship. In time, Lily found courage and her disfigured little body educated countless people about the horrors of the puppy mill industry. Lily died, at home, peacefully, in the arms of her loving dad with her family gathered around, in May 2008, fifteen months after she was rescued.

I was at a gas station and a family with small children was holding up a sign that read, need gas, God bless. I filled their car with gas.
While I was in Butte the next day, a girl was frantically looking threw her purse and crying, so I asked if I could help her. She lost her prepaid card, so I put gas in her car also.
A few days later I was in Walmart behind a woman with 3 small children that thought the government had put her monthly food money on her card, but hadn't, so I paid for her cart of groceries.

I have a friend that stayed at SAFE for a few weeks after experiencing domestic violence. She said they saved her.

SAFE - Helping those experiencing domestic, sexual, dating and other forms of violence.

SAFE’s mission is to address the fundamental need in the bitterroot community to decrease domestic and sexual violence and its impact in Ravalli County, Montana through the provision of direct services to survivors and their children and by working to minimize those conditions that support violence against women.

https://safeinthebitterroot.arttechgap2.com/about/

Malcolm was diagnosed with a rare disease called Craniopharyngioma, causing tumors to grow on her pituitary gland. Malcolm is a smart, beautiful and brave 6 year old girl. When first diagnosed she was Med Flighted to Denver where she had to spend 6 weeks to receive radiation treatment, and is continuing to receive treatment. She still has a long recovery ahead of her. This donation will help the family with expenses as they travel back and forth for Malcolm's ongoing treatment. Thank you to the Montana Rail Link family for the opportunity to assist this wonderful family in their time of need.

I have my card to a local family, that recently had a death in the family. This gift card help with costs during a very difficult time.

I gave my gift card to Watson Children Shelter in Missoula Mt. I just couldn't think of a more deserving cause. When I showed up on a Saturday to donate the card, the girl who answered the door said that spring break was coming and they could really use it for activities for the kids. The smile on her face made my day!

We decided to split the $500 between Trooper Wade Palmer and Shelley Hays GoFundMe pages. Shelley had died from multiple gun shot wounds while trying to help another in a vehicle. Wade Palmer was found in his police car shot numerous times after responding. The Missoulian gives a more accurate story.

Our son and many young people that we know went to high school with Shelley. Having friends in the police force and family who have been, we felt moved and compelled to utilize the opportunity afforded to us by you to help these two families. Thank you!

I gave my card to a younger family member.She is going to school and trying to raise a family . We all know how hard it is starting out and trying to go to school I told her to use it for whatever she needed it for . She thanks you and so do I . Carmel Ramirez

I gave my giving card to Jerry Fleege. He has been a member of our church, which my wife and I have attended more than 25 years. Our congregation is a small but close knit group. This is his story :

In February 2018, Jerry was diagnosed with Lyphoid leukemia. Initially his doctor sent him to the hospital for regular visits where his labs were monitored. Beginning in September and October Jerry had two series each month of blood transfusions. He also was started on an oral chemotherapy. On October 17th he also started taking chemotherapy along with a high dose of prednisone. Because Jerry has Type II Diabetes he was put on insulin in addition to his other diabetic medicines. The chemo and prednisone made his blood sugars very high so he had no energy.

Jerry continued working his job as a bus driver for the school district and still was managing to continue his route. On December 11, he left for his route but ended up driving his bus further than his route destination and failing to pick up the kids on his route. By the time he was stopped
by law enforcement he didn't remember how he got there and thought he had kids on the bus. He was transported to the local hospital by ambulance and spent the next seven days there. He left the hospital on December 17th using a walker and being on oxygen 24/7.

At this time he sees his doctor every three weeks. He is doing much better. He is not needing to use the walker much, only occasionally at home. He now mostly needs his oxygen at night when he is asleep. He isn't taking as much prednisone and his hemoglobin numbers are improving!
He hasn't been driving bus and cannot drive a private car until he is off the chemo. His doctor is trying to put the leukemia into remission which hopefully will be accomplished in 6-12 months.

Awhile back Steve Enriquez stopped out to visit Jerry. It was an unexpected surprise when he gave Jerry the Pay It Forward card. We are very grateful for the support we have been given from family, church family and now this Pay It Forward gift. We will be using it to pay medical bills.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
Sincerely,
Jerry and Jo Lynn Fleege.

I donated to Y-Not Save a Sam Rescue in Logan, UT. The reason I chose this non-profit is because of their mission. Y-Not Save a Sam rescues mostly the Samoyed breed of dogs from other countries where they have a slim chance at survival. Yvette does an amazing job coordinating rescuing these animals from various locations throughout the world. Most of these animals would not survive in the current conditions. She has volunteers who help foster these animals abroad before they can be transported to the US. Once in the US she vets the potential adopters and ensures these animals will get the love and care they deserve. As a Samoyed owner I know these animals are the most loving dogs and just want to be part of a family. This is why I chose to donate to Y-Not Save a Sam. Please visit the website to see photos and information on what this nonprofit does for these animals.
https://www.saveasam.org/
or on Facebook at Y-Not Save a Sam

This is a great cause and I think the Pay it Forward campaign by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation is an amazing opportunity to give to so many deserving causes all of which make the world a better place. Thank you for letting me take part in it for 2019

Sincerely,
Cullen Huntley

We gave the card to a family who had heavy medical bills due to surgeries needed for their newborn child. Their baby had severe club feet and needed multiple surgeries.

The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation has done a wonderful job giving back to individuals and organizations of many communities. I want to say thank you for involving your employees in The Pay It Forward program.

I decided to pay it forward to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cystic fibrosis is a life-shortening, progressive genetic disease that affects a child’s digestive and respiratory systems. It requires daily medication, therapy and monitoring. Due to minimal federal and pharmaceutical funding, cystic fibrosis research is largely dependent on private donations. Many strides have been made to improve the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients, however a cure is out of reach without continued donations.

The 6th Annual Cystic Fibrosis March Madness Calcutta was held in Butte on March 20th. This fundraiser has raised close to $100,000 for cystic fibrosis research since its inauguration. With the pay it forward card, I purchased $500 worth of merchandise to be auctioned off in a live auction. The merchandise went to the highest bidder for $550, with 100 percent of these proceeds going towards research for cystic fibrosis.

I am extremely grateful to have this opportunity to give back to a cause that is close to my heart. I have a six-year-old relative in Butte that was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis shortly after birth. Donations towards cystic fibrosis give her and her family hope that one day this disease can be cured.

Thank you!

Thanks to the generosity of the foundation, I donated online to the Montana Wilderness School (MWS). MWS strives to provide world class outdoor education to students from over the world, regardless of their ability to pay. I'm a firm believer that living in Montana is something to be celebrated, and having the necessary skills and education is key to doing it safely. MWS provides those tools for kids across Montana each summer during their various expeditions. Because of the support from the foundation, I was able to help make sure no kids are turned away from the program. Paying it forward indeed.

-Ross

I chose to give my giving card to my daughter who had a little boy born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and had to live over in Seattle for 7 months. My grandson Daxton underwent 3 open heart surgeries in his first 7 months of life and due to that my daughter had to move to Seattle to live there in between heart surgeries. He is now home and thriving, however he will have to have another open heart surgery between the age of 2 and 5 years old. He is seen by a cardiologist quite frequently right now who is an hour and a half drive from our home. I chose to give it to her to use for medical, living, and travel expenses.

Thank you to the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation. The Pay it Forward program is an extremely generous way to remind all of us to focus a little more on others.

I gave the Pay it Forward card to a friend of mine who recently struggled through several surgeries. Although not life threatening, she endured three surgeries - an initial surgery followed by two more unplanned procedures due to infection and other complications. As a single mom, the impact of more than two months away from work and the additional medical bills put a very real strain on her personal finances. It was nice to be able to help her out in this way.

Thanks again for promoting such a positive culture of giving.