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Good Deed
What good deeds have you done? How have you paid it forward lately?
BLUE SPRINGS, MO. -
Not many coffee shops could stay in business giving away free drinks, but that's exactly what Steamin' Bean customers have been doing for more than a week now in Blue Springs, Mo.
As it turns out, one good deed has led to a chain that no one wants to break.
It started at a drive-thru window more than a week ago. A customer wanted to pay for the next customer's drink, in addition to her own. And it's continued on ever since.
Since that customer paid it forward at the Steamin' Bean in Blue Springs, more than 1,000 others have followed. Even though their drinks have been free, they're paying for the next customer.
Owner Garin Bledsoe says no one, it seems, wants to break the chain of good deeds.
"It's hard times, but people are wanting to be part of something, knowing their five cents, their dollar goes to a greater good," said Bledsoe."They may not be able to change the economy, but they can change one person a day by doing a simple little gesture."
Customers have even donated more money so that if someone in need does take advantage of a free drink, there's money available to keep paying it forward. In a week's time, that fund amounted to more than $160.
"I was really surprised and then I couldn't believe this many people had paid it forward," said customer Jennifer Kincaid. "So I just wanted to continue it. I didn't want to break the cycle,"
Bledsoe said word of the free drinks has spread like wildfire bringing new customers into his shop.
Many like the idea of supporting a local business that is not a franchise. And the anonymous woman who started it all returned to learn that her good deed is still paying dividends.
"She started crying," said Bledsoe. "I explained to her we had generated so much money, people are giving so much here, I'm going to give money to these people. She just started crying. She thought it was great."
So many people have paid it forward at the Steamin' Bean that a fund with excess money has spread the program to other restaurants in Blue Springs.
FOX 4 is proud to have its own version of Pay It Forward where we help you pay it forward with $300 to someone in need. If you'd like to nominate someone, go to our Pay It Forward Page.
As it turns out, one good deed has led to a chain that no one wants to break.
It started at a drive-thru window more than a week ago. A customer wanted to pay for the next customer's drink, in addition to her own. And it's continued on ever since.
Since that customer paid it forward at the Steamin' Bean in Blue Springs, more than 1,000 others have followed. Even though their drinks have been free, they're paying for the next customer.
Owner Garin Bledsoe says no one, it seems, wants to break the chain of good deeds.
"It's hard times, but people are wanting to be part of something, knowing their five cents, their dollar goes to a greater good," said Bledsoe."They may not be able to change the economy, but they can change one person a day by doing a simple little gesture."
Customers have even donated more money so that if someone in need does take advantage of a free drink, there's money available to keep paying it forward. In a week's time, that fund amounted to more than $160.
"I was really surprised and then I couldn't believe this many people had paid it forward," said customer Jennifer Kincaid. "So I just wanted to continue it. I didn't want to break the cycle,"
Bledsoe said word of the free drinks has spread like wildfire bringing new customers into his shop.
Many like the idea of supporting a local business that is not a franchise. And the anonymous woman who started it all returned to learn that her good deed is still paying dividends.
"She started crying," said Bledsoe. "I explained to her we had generated so much money, people are giving so much here, I'm going to give money to these people. She just started crying. She thought it was great."
So many people have paid it forward at the Steamin' Bean that a fund with excess money has spread the program to other restaurants in Blue Springs.
FOX 4 is proud to have its own version of Pay It Forward where we help you pay it forward with $300 to someone in need. If you'd like to nominate someone, go to our Pay It Forward Page.
What a great story! My friend told me about it and so I looked it up, it's good to know that these kind of people are still out there. God bless.
John C. - Tulsa, OK @ 3:12 PM CDT, Aug 6, 2009
Kudos to the Steamin' Bean! Keep up the good work! This will soon catch on all over the metro!
Smitty @ 10:08 PM CDT, Jul 28, 2009
Let's do this at the grocery store!
Carla Cheshire @ 4:42 PM CDT, Jul 22, 2009
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