The Pay It Forward Challenge

Like her daughter Katie, Dorothy Dziengel of Racine, Wisconsin, uses her $1,000 for a variety of causes. Dorothy spends $200 on a grocery store gift card for workers at the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization (HALO) shelter. With the money, the workers plan to buy food for the women and children living there.

Next, she helps the family of Carly, a sixth-grader who has become paralyzed. Carly's family must drive 70–80 miles round-trip to visit her in the hospital. To help ease some of their expenses, Dorothy pitches in $150 for a gas card.

Dorothy spreads the rest of her Pay It Forward Challenge money among three schools. To the San Juan Diego Middle School, Dorothy gives camera accessories to go with the video camera her daughter donated. At St. Richard School, Dorothy donates a digital camera and a Hobby Lobby gift card for a class project. And finally, the rest of the money goes toward display boards for the art department at St. Catherine's High School.

"I've been called Oprah's angel. I've been called Santa Claus, and many, many good things. Such appreciation made me feel very, very good," Dorothy says.