WEST PARIS — A West Paris man, Tony Carr, hopes to inspire others to donate portions of their yard sales or returnable proceeds to charities or food banks.

“I would love for people to do the same thing that I’m doing,” Carr said. “That’s the whole point of this project is to inspire others.”

After holding a yard sale and cashing in some cans and coins, Carr put out a call to the West Paris community Facebook page to ask what charities his neighbors would like him to contribute to.

He contributed 20% of his proceeds to the Cancer Resource Center of Western Maine in Norway, Western Maine Firefighters Association and the National Firefighters Relief Association, the West Paris Recreation Department, and Operation Reboot Outdoors.

“Everyone can do this,” Carr said.

Carr mentioned that there is a large need to donate to food banks in the area as well and he encouraged others to consider donating part of their yard sale proceeds.

The original inspiration for Carr was his good friend, Jeffrey John “J.J.” Holley, a military veteran who founded Ripple Retreat in West Paris, a non-alcohol event venue, and has hosted benefit concerts there.

“It was more of a community project,” he said.

In the future, Carr plans to hold more yard sales and showcase some of his crafts, like items handmade out of silverware.