She listed her desk for $50 on Craigslist and sold it for $80.
“The buyer knew to never devalue a product. And when people have a price attached to something, they are likely to treat it that way,” Sharissa Sosa, a sales representative at Vector Marketing, said.
So, she took the money and decided to pay it forward. “I didn’t need the extra $30, and I thought to myself, ‘what could I do with it?’” And on a whim, Sharissa decided to buy pizza and hand it out to the homeless.
“Thirty dollars buys a lot of pizza.” she smiled. She realized that she’d need help dishing it all out, so she posted on Facebook asking if anyone wanted to help with and/or donate to the cause.
The response was greater than she imagined. What started as a kind gesture became an event. It lasted two glorious days, with 272 pizzas becoming 1,088 meals to the homeless, and over 600 individuals getting involved.
“The most powerful part was seeing how many hungry people there were, and how one idea made a difference for them.”
While distributing the meals, she heard a young lady on a bike say, “I haven’t ate in two days.”
“Handing her a few slices of pizza was magical,” Sharissa said.
What advice would she give to somebody thinking about making an impact?
“Never underestimate the power of one idea,” she says, with a serious tone. “You can always give. Abundance is everywhere. Any act of kindness, be it random or strategic, goes a very long way. We can hardly comprehend the massive ripple effect of making one person smile.”
She believes there is power in selflessness, kindness, and teamwork. “One great idea needs a team to build strength and momentum.”
And she advises to start helping people with what they know by asking themselves these questions: What do you get excited to talk about? If you can’t give money, how can you give in other ways? How can you donate your time, energy, or resources?