Giving Back/Paying Forward

Now What? Surviving – and Thriving – In Life’s Tough Times

My experiences and lessons learned on the street did not start with my 20 years of buying and then 10 years of selling. I grew up in a violent household, had a very abusive childhood and was out living on the street at 16 in Philadelphia with my dreams of college, and even completing high school, in tatters. Life was pretty tough and unsettling, but I persevered, worked hard, and made the most of every opportunity to get myself back in the game. Going in the Army at 20 provided me the jumpstart opportunity I needed, and started me on a very successful career path of which I am most grateful.

I have always had a heart for my “peeps” back there on the street; the battered women, the abused kids, and all of the homeless, addicted and afflicted. I’ve done a lot of volunteer work reaching out to those like me who had a bad turn in life but were trying hard to get back. I have limited tolerance and time for those who want enablement to remain where they have fallen, living on handouts and nursing their victim stories however real they may be. But I have endless compassion and a fervent willingness to assist those who desperately seek some supportive, albeit tough love to help get them back into a healthy, self-supporting and contributing place in society along with the rest of us.

In addition to varied volunteer outreach work and motivational speaking gigs I do sharing my other message, “Now What? Surviving – and Thriving – In Life’s Tough Times”, ten percent of all the income from On The Street With Michael Spotts is donated to worthy charities that provide compassionate and responsible help in a variety of wonderful and blessed ways.