Around the world, people know me as Ya Fav Trashman and Terrill. But at home, around my three children (5, 9 and 10 years old), I am a dad.
The other day, I was picking up my 10 year old son from school when I witnessed a scene. This scene featured my daughter. As she and her friend walked away from the school building and toward me, I noticed her friend throwing a wrapper on the sidewalk. I then noticed that my daughter was losing it… Let’s say that my granddaughter broke down.
“Do you know who my father is?!?! was one of the things she shouted that I was most proud of.
The litter starts with the children. They see garbage in the streets. They do do not see enough trash cans. They To do see adult and adolescent litter. So the children too.
I plan to distribute the money I raise not in a big check to the PSD, but by bringing individual donations to each of Philadelphia’s 215 schools, one by one, as part of my fall book tour.
Garbage becomes a real bad habit that helps bring down neighborhoods and communities. It’s a vicious circle.
Me, Ya Fav Trashman, Terrilll, Dad, I intend to stop this cycle. I will do this with a children’s book, a book tour, and a fundraising campaign for the Philadelphia School District that will raise awareness of the importance of taking care of our city. Here’s how:
My new children’s book I’m cool too, released at the end of June. Right now, it’s pre-sold online, for $20 a book. So far I have sold 395.
From now on, I will donate $5 from every copy sold to the Philly School District. My goal is to raise $1,000,000 for Philadelphia students. To achieve this goal, I need to sell 200,000 books. If you know me, you know I’m a confident guy. I believe I can achieve the goal by my birthday on September 3rd. (I’m also challenging 100 local businesses to each buy 100 copies of the book.)
Additionally, I plan to distribute the money I raise not in a big check to the school district, but by bringing individual donations to each of Philadelphia’s 215 schools, one by one, as part of my book tour. ‘fall. (If you do the math, that means I’ll donate $4,651 to each school.) I want to make sure each school uses the funds as they see fit – and I want every child in Philadelphia to have a chance to meet Ya Fav Trashman and learn how cool it is to keep our neighborhoods clean.
Follow me on Instagram to find out which parks I’ll be bringing I’m cool too for pop-up storytimes this summer. While you’re at it, tag your favorite school and I’ll choose one to receive 25 free copies of I’m cool too.
Terrill Haigler, Ya Fav Trashman, is a former Philadelphia sanitation worker with a serious gift for organizing and using social media and direct action to mobilize an impactful movement to clean up our city. As a changemaker dedicated to making Philadelphia the best version of itself, Haigler is also a member of “Generation Changing Philly,” a partnership betbetween The Philadelphia Citizen and the non-profit organization Custodians of the Commons.
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