01 Jul Permit America Charity Fund

Permit America founders, Jim & Mary Simpson both have a passion for the community and have shared this passion with the employees of Permit America.

Every Wednesday employees at Permit America can donate $1.00 to the Permit America charity fund to wear jeans. At the end of the year Jim & Mary match the total amount collected. This has been a tradition at Permit America for years.

When asked how the idea of $1.00 charity day was create Mary responded, “The greatest act in the world for me is to serve.  There are so many in the world who did not have the privilege I had growing up…..loving parents, food, clothing, shelter and a great education.  I always remember my parents, if not teaching us the importance to share and give, giving to the helpless at every turn.  I thought paying $1.00/week to wear jeans on a certain day is a way to teach my staff to give.  At Christmas we choose families or organizations that need help by celebrating them with gifts but most importantly to let them know we care!” 

While Jim & Mary manage the charity fund, the decision on how the money is used is solely up to Permit America employees. In early November employees start discussing how they would like to utilize the money collected.  Each year is different from the year before.  Employees have adopted families, given gift cards to strangers, paid for groceries of the customer ahead of them in line, watched a family pick out a bike then purchased the bike for them, donated to a charity that has personally affected an employee, the list goes on and on.

Last year the IT/Resource Development Department and Consultant Team 3 joined together to purchase items for the  Franklin County Women and Family Shelter .  Jimmy and Tonya had the privilege to deliver the items to the shelter.

During Permit America’s annual Christmas luncheon employees share with each other how they blessed the community through the Permit America Charity Fund.  We are just six months away and already looking forward to hearing the stories this year.