Video Prize for the Amazing Raise

Hands Up Ministries and The Amazing Raise

Help our non-profit, Hands Up Ministries, compete for a video prize in The Amazing Raise. Watch this video by clicking the link above and share it from YouTube with all of your friends and family. Hands Up could win a $1500 prize if we come out on top with the most views. The winnings will help us continue to support affordable housing in Highland Park. Thank you for all the support!

"Jason" and "Roger"

OK...for all those who are tired of the stories about Richmond's Homeless!
This is "Jason". He is here for LUNCH..a FREE Lunch, and some are, just helps. Jason I met the very first Monday I came to 2nd back in April....Jason was from Fla., no id, no phone, no job, living in shelters and on the streets, self conscious about a missing tooth. I think he is about 23/24. I looked for his story but can't find it!
He is SO HAPPY...ME TOO..Called his mom in Fla. That is ALL I DID...the rest Jason did...he needed his Identification Documents...Act OF CONGRESS!
5 Months Later...he is back in the game again, and so very happy! So proud...sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, sometimes never....You never know who you are going to touch, encourage, Love, or motivate...but you have to TALK to the friends in order to do the above...It always starts with Love. "What's your name? My name is Cassie!" Come....

This sweet man works at the "Penny Pub" washing dishes, says he's been here 3 times looking for me to see if I can help him find a place to SLEEP(Like a ROOM). "Roger" has been sleeping in the streets, he only makes $400.00 a month, never will
he find a place to live for $400.00 a month. I tell him, you need to work more, ask your boss.....get another job..."Cassie, I made so many mistakes when I was young. I was the oldest of 6 boys, lived in the projects, ran a muck, made super bad decisions..by 15 I was in prison until I was 33! I forgot to tell you, he COULD NOT READ WHEN HE WENT TO PRISON! His mother said: "You better get ALL the education out of there you can..." He listened to her....came out with an associates degree, he said learning to read was the hardest thing he had ever done. We re killing our kids with Poor schools.
His story is heartbreaking, his story is not atypical. I asked him is he DONE? "Done?"
Yeah...ARE DONE RUNNING THE STREETS, ARE YOU DONE living a life of crime..."I am so done." Of course I can see in his eyes..he is done. My gut...he will never make it.
The system doesn't work well with Felons...very few care....he said he had to leave, he had to eat his lunch on the fly, he has a bike at 56, he didn't want to be late to where ever he was going.
I said can you drive? "If I could pay off my $8,000 fines from prison." $8,000 may as well be a million.....DMV runs the world.
Of all the people I met today....this is who I would pick to help....My gut says...he wants to MAKE IT!
Of course I want to help them all...but this man...never had a chance from the day he was born. These are the stories that break my heart for Jesus.....
This job is the very hardest job I've ever had....there are just no answers some days!