PORT NECHES — Jesus said in the parable of the mustard seed, “...the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Bill Clark, owner of Bill Clark “Bugsperts” of Beaumont first planted the seed that Chris and Pam Johnson also planted in their community.

The Johnsons are owners of American Steam-A-Way Professional Carpet Cleaning in Port Neches. They recently presented an $8,030 check to Community Care-Prayer Outreach, a social service organization in Nederland, at a Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours gathering. They also broke an attendance record for a Business After Hours event. Chris Johnson is quick to point out, however, that Clark inspired him with the idea.

“We attended a Business After Hours and it’s something that Bill Clark started,” Chris Johnson said. “He announced he was donating a dollar a day for every day he’s been in business for 50 years. I followed suit and gave $8,030 to Community Care-Prayer Outreach. I’ve been on their board for four years. We’ve been in business for 22 years, since 1986.”

In addition to being members of the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, American-Steam-A-Way is also members of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce, the Groves Chamber of Commerce, the Nederland Chamber of Commerce, the Port Neches Chamber of Commerce and the Bolivar-Crystal Beach Chamber of Commerce.

Clark said he wanted to do “some kind of big thing” to celebrate 50 years in business this year and said the idea came to him in the middle of the night.

“$18,250 is big to a little business like us,” he said. “A dollar a day is nothing and we first thought we would donate it to half a dozen organizations. My daughter is in marketing in Amarillo and she said why not pick 18 organizations, so we decided on that. My son-in-law in Amarillo thought of presenting 18 checks to 18 representatives from the organizations, and 18 of our senior staff members would present the checks. It made everyone happy.”

Clark said he wanted a celebration to honor his employees and clients rather than himself and hopes other businesses will be encouraged to donate a dollar a day to their favorite charities.

Chris Johnson said he’s not the typical businessman — he didn’t attend college and he didn’t learn to read and write until he was an adult. He credits all of his success to God’s blessings. He added he was raised by a single mother who worked for minimum wage, so he did without things in life and he now wants to give back.

“He took my greatest weakness and made it my greatest strength,” he said. “Not every business can give back. I can’t give back some years. Every year it’s a struggle and a battle to stay in business. But me and Pam are blessed giving back to the community.”

Libby Arnold is the executive director of Community Care-Prayer Outreach and said Pam and Chris Johnson are “super” and doing what the Lord wants them to do.

“I was shocked so much. I started to cry when they presented the check and I’m not a crier,” Arnold said. “We’re a Christian organization; we belong to the Lord.”

The center was formerly located on Nall St. in Port Neches for 26 years. Arnold said that location was difficult to find and they were cramped for room. Eight months ago they relocated to a larger facility on frontage property on Nederland Avenue. The center serves Nederland, Port Neches and Groves while the United Board of Missions serves Port Arthur.

“It has made a lot of difference. We now have 7,000 square feet compared to 2,200 square feet at the old one for the same amount of rent. That’s how good God is,” she said.

The center is now involved with Entergy’s Project Care — utility assistance for people 55 years of age and older, the disabled and low income. They also have a GED preparation lab that began two years ago. They now have 12 students enrolled and their first graduate. He has since contacted the Texas Workforce Commission and landed a job at a refinery making $14 an hour. In two years, he can own his own trade.