A few months ago we started an outreach at a local apartment complex unaware of what and who we were going to come across. The apartment complex from the outside seemed to be simply a stereotypically low-income, overcrowded, and dangerous place. However, once we entered the gates and started meeting those which we would be serving we realized this low-income apartment complex was full of men, women, and children all at risk of varying factors and all just needing help.
Recently, there was a young boy name Joey who told us that he had not eaten for 3 days because he simply “did not know where his parents were.” Then, when we asked him why he was not in school, he told us that he had not ever gone to school because his parents did not ever sign him up for it.
Right away we knew we needed to do something. We knew we needed to meet his immediate needs first, so our volunteers and outreach director immediately gave the young boy a hot meal. While he was eating his meal, we noticed he kept peering over at the table of new toys we had brought to give to the kids that day. When we asked him which toy was his favorite he immediately ran over and grabbed “Iron Man” and held it up so proudly.
When we told him that Iron Man was his to keep his grin reached from ear to ear. He began running around the room pretending to fly, complete with his superhero sound effects. At that moment he was not worried about his home life, or where his next meal was coming from, but yet, at that moment he was able to simply be a kid playing with Iron Man.”
Thank you for your continued partnership in making things like this happen for the at-risk children in the communities we serve.
Blessings,
Lisa Gonzalez-Baca, Business Administrator
