'Do Good, Keep Paying It Forward,' Says Movement Founder

Unlike most people who have made the big switch from corporate America to the non-profit world, there was no "aha!" moment for Charley Johnson, founder of the Pay It Forward movement.

"I just walked away from a family business with 250+ employees and an absurd amount of money," said Johnson, speaking in front of a sizeable crowd at restaurant last Sunday.

"It was slowly ripping away at my soul," said the soft-spoken visionary.

Johnson went on to describe how he was just like any other American who fell into the typical American trap of relentless material acquisition.

"Just like most people, I was always reaching for the next thing - the big house, the fancy car, becoming CEO, and the thing after that, that would make me happy," he said.

Change was forthcoming for Johnson. "If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you'll get the same results," said Johnson, quoting Albert Einstein.

The idea of repaying a good deed by doing it to others instead of to do the person who did it to you or paying it forward, has not been a tough sell for Johnson.

In Moorpark alone, two years after he began his movement in 2006, a Pay It Forward (PIF) club sprouted at .

Said Lisa Williams, one of the parents behind the club, "I have an only child, Taylor, and I wanted her to start thinking outside of herself."

Taylor and her friend Alicia were the original members of the PIF Club. The membership parameters are quite loose, said immediate past president Ariana Sanchez.

"There are no membership dues, no major fundraising, no mandatory meetings and members come and go depending on their load or schedule that school year," said Sanchez, who will be a student at this fall.

The club emphasizes the promotion of random acts of kindness more than anything. Within the school, the members have organized an auction for junior Austin Munoz, who was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Said Sanchez, "One time we made some baked goods for the janitors and we hosted a pizza party another time for a special ed class."

The club celebrates "Random Acts of Kindness Day" usually on the second Monday of March. Members are encouraged to write their good deeds of the day on a poster for everyone to see and emulate.

Within the community, the teens network with the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs to participate in annual events such as and . They've also delivered toys to the Children's Hospital in LA.

The white bracelets with the "Pay It Forward" in purple letters is slowly making its way around.

"I was surprised to see the PIF bracelets being given out on campus one time," said Jessica Masek, a freshman at San Diego State University, who also attended Moorpark High.

"They're great conversation starters. People want to know what they are and how they can get them," said Masek of the bracelets that Johnson sends and ships for free to anyone who would ask.

Johnson was visibly pleased with the club's efforts in Moorpark. On the road for the most part of the year, he tries to visit and meet with these "small pockets of kindness" as much as he can, making last-minute stops sometimes like he did in Moorpark.

As PIF's reach is widening - 107 countries and counting, Johnson credits social media tools like Facebook and Twitter for much of the rapid growth. An iPhone app to remind people about random acts of kindness is close to the launch stage.

In closing, Johnson said, "There are three things you can do daily: smile, hold the door for someone and actually listen when you ask as to how someone's day is going."