Paying It Forward

Text By Kelly Kandra Hughes
Photo by Henry Perrault

Norfolk has a new Little Free Library! Located on Winchester Road, the wooden box filled with books sits on a pole with a sign that encourages passersby to “Take a Book, Leave a Book.” Under this directive is one more sentence: “Made possible by a grant from Norfolk NET.”

It’s been over six months since the grassroots community organization known as Norfolk NET solicited proposals for their Pay It Forward, Norfolk! Acts of Kindness for Our Community grant program. Since then, three projects, including the Little Free Library, have been successfully completed.

Norfolk resident Henry Perrault had been giving books to various Little Free Libraries for years. He and his wife would even look for the little libraries on vacation. Perrault liked the idea of putting one up himself, but he didn’t take the idea seriously until he saw an insert advertising Pay It Forward, Norfolk! In an issue of Norfolk Now. “What was there to lose?” he thought. So he applied for the grant and received a $100 check in April.

Amy Troyansky decided she wanted to pay it forward by giving “a lift to public school teachers here in town.” She applied for a grant for the ingredients to make home-baked goods that she would bring to Botelle Elementary. “My weekly drop-offs of baked goods for the faculty and staff were always greeted with warm appreciation,” she said through email. “It was my privilege to have had a small role in boosting the morale of our public school in trying times. May this project endure!”

Jen Pfaltz and Adair Mali worked together on their Pay It Forward, Norfolk! project. Both women noticed that South Norfolk had seen an influx of new neighbors in the last year, including many single women. They applied for a grant to host a meet and greet to get acquainted with new residents and to catch up with old friends. Pfaltz reports their meet and greet was so successful that plans are already under way for another one, hosted by one of the attendees. “The next get-together is scheduled for September, with another in the works for October. We are very excited about the energy surrounding these get-togethers.”

For anyone feeling inspired by these projects, or who didn’t apply during the initial grant application, Norfolk NET is offering a second round of applications for the Pay It Forward grants. The group is thrilled with the success of the grants so far and is looking forward to seeing what turns up in the next round of applications. “It was exactly what we were hoping for—community connections, in small ways, that lead to big smiles,” said Dawn Whalen, executive director of the Norfolk Foundation and Norfolk NET member.

Applications for a Pay It Forward, Norfolk! grant are now available at the Hub or may be requested via email at norfolknetct@gmail.com. They’re due by Monday, Oct. 24,  with the expectation that projects will be completed by Feb. 28, 2023. Applications selected to receive funds will be notified the first week of November.