JOSH YORK, another young man making a difference in our world, started by making a difference to his community. And if ever a community needs people committed to making a difference, it's Detroit.
The Michigan State junior connected with the opportunity through serendipity touched with a bit of business savvy (he studies supply side management). Josh's parents instilled in him a belief in giving back, helping others in need. So when the hats he started selling on a whim started bringing in more than chump change, Josh wanted to do more with his profits than just bank them. Knowing about TOMS' mission - give a pair of shoes for each one sold - he thought, “Why don’t I do something with it to give back to Detroit?”
Following the Tom’s shoes model, Josh donates a hat to the homeless for each one he sells. Josh's outreach now extends far beyond Detroit, reaching across the USA to include cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Nashville and
Washington D.C.. Since his start 2+ years ago, Josh has sold more than 2,000 products in 28 states and five countries, including Malaysia & Australia (ah, the power of the internet).
Josh is doing his best to change the company's name from York Apparel to York Project, which he feels better conveys his goal to make the world a better place.
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What is it about kids today? First, Jacob Kramer sets out to help elderly feel visible, appreciated. Now, Josh York spends his spare time & energies doing what he can to reach his "long-term goal to fix homelessness." And friends think my goal of turning around our current abysmal culture around aging is cockeyed! Way to go, Josh!
Josh's long-range plan: set up a manufacturing plant in Detroit, employ homeless
people, pay them, and provide lodging in the plant. He envisions it as a two-year program, with graduating participants better able to stand on their own.
For now, Josh takes hats with him wherever he goes. When he hit the Big Apple on spring break, he took fifty hats to donate.
While hats are Josh's #1 product, he's branching out into hoodies, crew necks, tank tops and T-shirts.
It might seem to others that Josh's head is in the clouds, but those feet are firmly on the ground. He knows his goal - "The whole message and mission I’m trying to get across is: doing good deeds for your community. Like
we send so much money overseas, as the U.S., but there’s also people
that live a mile away that need help just as much as anyone else in the
world.”
While it's tempting for Josh to think about dropping out of MSU to put more focus on the York Project. Mom & Dad were NOT amused.
Josh, heed your parents. Stick to your studies. Get the most out of your college years. There are opportunities there - like The Hatch & The Runway - you won't find out in the less hospitable world. Don't underestimate the relationships you're developing within the Phi Delta Theta fraternity - seems that you embody their motto, "Become the greatest version of yourself." Keep doing what you can to make your cockeyed dream a reality. You never know who it might touch. Could be a homeless person shivering in the cold, could be a fellow student or teacher seeing someone looking past the next kegger to doing something worthwhile with his life.
Could be a 60+ dreamer out to overthrow & turn around our culture's views on aging.
TOMS touched your life, you are touching others. Oh, the power of shoes & hats & whatever is next, given from the heart!
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