Pay Away Fulfills Wish Lists for 153 Foster Children
Massachusetts - In an effort to continue the mission of inspiring hope and spreading kindness, Pay Away has partnered with Rise Above to pay off the wish lists of children in foster care. Rise Above provides Massachusetts children in foster care with enriching activities, opportunities and experiences.
Working with a group of donors dedicated to expanding Pay Away’s mission, a donation was made to Rise Above that provided:
- 125 youth with participation in after-school activities
- 13 young adults with needed items for their dorm rooms
- 15 youth with laptops
Providing these resources and experiences in extracurricular activities improves academic achievement, decreases risk of dropping out of school, builds confidence, promotes mental health, and helps youth feel a sense of belonging.
Rise Above Co-founder and Executive Director Sarah Baldiga shares, “Rise Above is honored to have partnered with Pay Away in our mission to give youth in foster care access to extracurricular activities. We are united in our passion and work to give all kids a joyful childhood and to help them build positive childhood memories. We're incredibly grateful for Pay Away's support!”
“Pay Away the Layaway’s mission is to inspire hope and spread kindness, and we are grateful for the opportunity to expand into supporting children in foster care,” said founder Lee Karchawer.
You can help Pay Away continue to expand its mission of paying off wish lists to inspire hope and spread kindness by making a donation at payaway.org/give.
Pay Away the Layaway Rings the Closing Bell at Nasdaq
New York, NY - In recognition of the organization’s 10th Anniversary, Pay Away the Layaway’s Founder Lee Karchawer and Executive Director Adam Wilbur rang the closing bell at Nasdaq in Times Square on December 21, 2022.
Karchawer spoke about the organization’s mission and what it means to have reached this milestone. “Over the past 10 years, we’ve surprised 1000s of families in all 50 states. This year alone we’re on track to surprise over 2,000 families and pay off nearly $500,000 in layaway balances.” He went on to recognize the impact that Pay Away has had on military families. “To the military families we’ve been able to meet and help all over the world, thank you. It’s an honor to be able to help the men and women who serve our country.”
Karchawer and Wilbur were joined by dozens of donors and volunteers at Nasdaq Marketsite in Times Square, where Pay Away was featured on their 7-story video tower during and after the market closed.
Wilbur made a point to highlight the donors who have made it all possible. “I want to thank the donors and volunteers who have enabled us to grow this idea into the movement it has become. In particular, I want to acknowledge the team at T-Mobile whose gift of $1 million last year helped bring our cause to the national stage. Their contribution and their team’s amplification of our message on social media was transformational.”
Pay Away’s mission is to spread joy and kindness to families. For 10 years, the organization has surprised unsuspecting families by paying off their layaway balances across the country.
You can help spread holiday cheer this year by making a donation at payaway.org/give
Welcoming @PayAwayLayaway to the @NasdaqExchange Closing Bell. https://t.co/uiXN7AYk7i
— Nasdaq Exchange (@NasdaqExchange) December 21, 2022
10 years ago, @PayAwayLayaway started as a random act of kindness & has grown into a nationwide movement dedicated to spreading joy. ????@NasdaqExchange is proud to recognize the impactful work they do to inspire hope, spread kindness and surprise families across America. pic.twitter.com/e8akOBMlVR
— Nasdaq Exchange (@NasdaqExchange) December 21, 2022