New York City is home to thousands of homeless persons. Among these, 25,000 are children.
With temperatures dropping and few places for them to keep warm, Hoodies for the Homeless stepped up to provide jackets for over 60 kids.
Along side, Orange is the New Black actress, Jackie Cruz, Hoodies for the Homeless hosted an event complete with snacks and entertainment to do their part in lending a warm hand through a cold situation.
Cruz empathizes with the plight of the homeless after having spent time living in a car in Los Angeles after leaving her home ten years ago.
“I had a home, so I was just a kid being bad I guess,” explained Cruz about her situation. Cruz left home after having to share a small studio apartment with her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. “I was 16. I didn’t have a lot of privacy,” she added.
Her mother told her “don’t come back,” because she didn’t want her to leave.
However, Cruz had the option to return home and often received food from her mother. Still, the Dominican Republic born actress understands that’s not the case for many others, and wants to use her celebrity to spread awareness about the very serious issues homeless people from all walks of life face.
The founder of Hoodies For the Homeless is ex-Marine, Tavis Eaton, whose love for New York City as well as his empathy for homeless veterans fueled his desire to make a difference.
Nicole is a contributor for The Knockturnal. Find her on twitter @NcolAlexandria
