SPOKANE, Wash. — Up with KREM Anchor Tim Pham appeared on USA Today for his 'Phamily Ties' giveaway.
Pham started 'Phamily Ties' in an effort to help out young journalists by giving away his large collection of spare ties. The donation has since gained national attention.
The giveaway began on Tuesday, March 22 with a tweet from Pham saying that he wanted to give away some of his ties to journalists in need.
"8 yrs ago I opened up my first paycheck in TV for a whopping $600! I worked 3 jobs just to get by, let alone buy ties for work," the tweet said. "If you need a tie, DM me. All I ask is that you pay it forward one day."
The anchor's offer soon went viral on social media before being picked up by various media outlets, including AdWeek's TVSpy, News Blues and now USA Today.
"I am blown away by the response. In the past 48 hours, my inbox on all platforms has been flooded and my notifications continue to ping as I write this. People from all over the nation and even around the globe, in all professions, including journalism have reached out asking for ties or offering to help," Tim said. "To be honest I’m still in shock by how many people have responded. This isn’t the first time I’ve offered up my ties. I made the same offer last year and didn’t get anywhere near the same response. I thought this year I would make the same offer but had no idea so many people would take me up on it."
Tim's ties have found a new home all over the United States, including Washington, D.C., Montana, New York, South Carolina, New Mexico, Arizona and Georgia to name a few.
"We know getting into journalism is not about the money, it’s a passion we have, but the reality is financial barriers make being in the industry a challenge," Tim said. "I don’t want anyone to have to feel embarrassed about asking for help. If I can eliminate a small barrier, like giving away a tie, it’s worth the cost to me. We need good journalists and need to support each other."
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