Originally published by Ray Chambers on LinkedIn: A Fresh Start For Newark Students

I was on a panel at the Milken Institute’s Hamptons weekend last Sunday with Ray Washburne, Joaquim Levy, David Rubenstein, Cheryl Dorsey and Jim Zelter, where Mike Milken encouraged us to speak about our experiences trying to make life better for others less fortunate. While we spoke about how fulfilling our philanthropy has been, it was clear that we have all had experiences where many of our well-intentioned efforts either went awry, were not appreciated, or both. Yet, the beauty of giving back and helping others is that it often just takes one inspiring success to make all of our previous work worthwhile.

I felt this just last week when a story arising from my hometown seemed to completely uplift years of troubled attempts. Fifteen years ago, our family and foundation adopted West Side High School in one of the most challenging sections of Newark, New Jersey. The students continue to face extraordinary headwinds. A few years ago, I became a mentor to a wonderful man who is now the principal of West Side High School, Akbar Cook. Akbar shows up each morning hours before school begins and “rounds up” students whom he doesn’t think are going to attend school that day. He puts them in his car and makes certain they will be in attendance. He has coached the basketball team to unexpected championships. He seeks out and senses personal needs of each of the faculty and the student body.

I host an Advisory Committee dinner once a month for the Administration of West Side and volunteers from the private sector and government. Two years ago Akbar came to me and spoke about an almost unbelievable situation at the school. Teenagers were missing school and being bullied because their clothes were dirty. They didn’t have access to a way of cleaning them and no one at home was taking care of that. Mr. Cook said he wanted to try and build a laundry room at the school to quietly and confidentially help those children. I encouraged Akbar to speak about that need at our monthly dinner. He did so and at least three corporate representatives volunteered to pay for the washing machines and dryers, which in fact Public Service Electric and Gas Co did.

After navigating through institutional red tape, the West Side High School laundromat officially opens next week with the return to school. As you can see from the above video, something as basic and taken for granted as a washing machine is significantly contributing to the autumn happiness and joy for the students at the school. I feel warm all over.

I would hope that Amazon would take notice and give their employees the opportunity to experience that same warmth by seriously considering Newark as the site for its second world headquarters. It would not be possible for any other city to be so transformed as would Newark from this important decision.