America's Mission

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

- Anne Frank

Beautiful view of downtown Paterson located near the Great Falls.  The NY skyline can slightly be seen off to the right.

This section is probably the one where you can see just how crazy the extent of my ambition is.

Here's the deal, despite unfortunately knowing all too well that we are living in some rather tough times in America, the simple fact is that good things are happening everywhere.  And I have the most unconditional love and faith in the greatness of the people in this country for good reason.  We always, as a nation, step up to the plate when we need to most. 

That time to step up is this very moment in history.

We sit at a crossroads as a citizenry today, as a country strangled with debt, a people with no confidence in our government, an economy that is reliant on far too many other factors that we have no control over, and as a culture, well, I'm really not sure what to think about where we are as a culture.

What I do know for sure is that today, we have the opportunity to write the rest of the story of our nation going forward and do it right..

Paterson is the most significant city in the history of the United States of America.  (Hey, hyperbole works, right?  It really might be though, see link above)  Its creation was of vital importance to America's economic development and without it, who knows what we might look like today?

Paterson embodies exactly what our nation must get back to doing if we are to have a prosperous future.  Renewable energy, focus on manufacturing, focus on self-sustainability, job creation, innovation and workers' rights in the workplace, working together toward a common goal for the common good, it's clear we need get back on track as a nation and these focuses represent the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Can anyone think of a more important cause to rally around today than using Paterson's history as a starting point to inspire where we need to be headed as a nation?  I cannot think of a more worthy cause at this point in history to restore America's prestige.

Paterson is just one example of a place where positive things are taking place amongst unfortunate conditions.  One example that really jump-started the evolution of this idea, is a community story hundreds of miles south of Paterson.  I have come to know a fellow Giants fan by way of an internet message board.  (hooray for being a diehard football nut)  Anyway, this friend of mine, and I do consider him a great friend despite the fact that circumstances just haven't allowed us to meet up yet, he's getting married next month.  He's a young, passionate guy like myself working for his doctorate in economics and teaching college classes in the process.  Knowing the rigor of his studies motivates me in my own work and we correspond regularly about our ideas in order to refine our thinking.

On Wednesday, April 11th,  2012, this buddy of mine informed me that his fiance woke up, smelled smoke, grabbed only the dog, and exited their apartment.  The entire complex burned to the ground.  They had nothing left.  As my friend said, "I have one pair of boxers to my name."

Totally ruined my day after having had such an amazing week launching this website, one month until they were going to get married and start their lives together, they lose everything.  All I could keep thinking was ‘Ugh’.  But then he started telling me more.

The whole community responded in the most amazing and inspiring of fashions and I lend so much credit for this idea to that community right now.  Here's what Richard sent me:

Here's how the community has helped us:

1. Cross Point Church: none of the 24 affected units is a member of the church. The next night, they had assembled, through their members (their membership is about 300 families) over 2,000 articles of clothing, toiletries, shoes, and pet supplies. They provided not only t-shirts, but polos, nice long sleeved collared shirts, slacks, ... Not only were they used, a bunch were new. I was told to take as much as I needed. I have 3 garbage bags full of clothes.

2. Chick-fil-A: over 2 days, they provided 100 sandwiches for dinner (that night), 100 for breakfast (the next morning), and 100 for lunch (the next afternoon).

3. Texas Roadhouse provided some dinner rolls that same night, but also is providing a fund raiser for us one night, where all proceeds go to the victims of the Walden Oaks fire.

4. Barberitos and Zaxby's provided coupons, where each member who suffered gets a free meal.

5. Pizza Hut and Domino's provided pizza the day of and the next day for those who were afflicted to eat.

6. LensCrafters provided free contact cases and solution in case you needed it.

7. American Eagle and Hollister provided 50% off to the victims of the fire.

8. Victoria's Secret provided free bras and panties if told, and provided more than 1 free sample of lotion.

9. Apple, when told of the situation (and given proof of ownership), waived the AppleCare fee (and the need to see the item; so, for instance, a broken IPhone, which is $199 with Apple Care, was now free). They also provided IPad2 for 50% off. This was just what the manager did for us after being told. They did not offer it before.

10. Ashley Furniture offered 20% off of any furniture item in the store.

11. Stacy's Pet Spa and Grooming provided free dog food, collected donations, and provided a free grooming (bath, haircut) for those animals affected. Several local businesses are also providing pet carriers, pet leashes, and pet collars for free. Several people brought in chew toys fort he animals. It's also buy one get one free of a night in a boarding facility.

12. Diane's (Richard's fiance) work provided spare scrubs for her. They also provided her and I toiletries.

13. Several other individuals who we have met in random locations have offered to provide room and/or clothes.

14. A local BBQ restaurant provided free lunch.

15. Longhorn steakhouse had some offer. Not sure what it is.

I'm sure I will remember some more. But the way the community has provided for us is simply amazing.

I'd say that's pretty amazing.  Just really special.  Could more be done?  Probably, sure.  I'm sure more has been done since I first wrote this.  In fact, now that Richard received his gifts, I can now say that myself and others from our Giants message board, pitched in to get Richard a Steve Weatherford, punter for the NY Giants, autographed jersey.  (Richard was a kicker and punter in college)  We reached out to the Giants and Steve Weatherford actually took the time to call Richard and wish him the best despite the circumstances of losing everything.  Needless to say, Richard was incredibly grateful and it was yet another example of people coming together to do good for those in need.

So this all made me think, I have seen the country rally around some great causes on Facebook and subsequently then in real life on the ground.  9/11 we came together.  Katrina, the Tsunamis, the Haiti earthquake, the world made great efforts to aid places in need.  Well, given the work that I’m doing, it was smacking me right in the face.  I can’t think of a greater effort for America to rally around than the re-birth of Paterson, NJ, America’s first planned industrial center, the first place where we first recognized our dire need to be a self-sustaining nation.

There really aren’t too many things that we here in Paterson are missing to achieve what we need to show everyone how we can do revive ourselves.  Unfortunately, one of the main things that we are missing is something that everyone all over is struggling with right now.  Can you guess the obvious yet?

I hate saying it’s always about the money because it makes our culture appear so self-centered and greedy.  But words are a funny thing and I think we can transform this mindset of, ‘it’s all about the money’ into a positive thing.  Here’s why:

Despite many struggling out there, this is America and I’d be remiss not to recognize that plenty out there are highly skilled and bright.  There is plenty of money out there.  Those who have it just need a worthy cause to invest in.  As a people, we are going to discover that that cause is Paterson’s resurgence.

The goal of this website has evolved from the original purpose.  The purpose will still be to show Paterson and the country all the positive things happening in this city.  But now I am going to directly ask the American people to rally around the cause of ensuring Paterson is rebuilt with pride, forward thinking, and ultimately efficiency.

If we can make this idea go viral and bring in the right people with the right ideas, and yes, people who happen to possess those almighty dollars, then Paterson’s success will simply be a matter of when.  Not if.

And then America's rebirth as the greatest leader for the world to follow will also become a matter of when.  Not if.

Everyone out there in this country today, now has the opportunity to become a part of the greatest community service effort the world has ever seen.  That is the idea.  And I take no credit for it.  I can’t.  It has come to fruition because of the countless people who I have come across in life that I have learned from.  The credit, at the end of the day, will go directly to everyone who helps make it happen.  All of us together.  We'll make that idealistic "Pay it forward" concept a reality.

I had a chance to meet Governor Christie last summer when he came to speak to my students in one of the NJCDC’s youth programs, the Great Falls Youth Corps.  Whatever you think about his politics is irrelevant to this statement he made that stuck with me ever since.

“The most powerful thing in the world is a good idea.” 

America, we have stumbled upon a game-changing idea.  I ask you to join me in seeing just how powerful it really is.

Lets make it happen in Paterson and everywhere else.  It's a new future going forward and we are all going to make this nation the greatest nation in the world again by working together for the common good.

That’s America’s mission.  Join me please.