4-year-old's heart breaks when he sees Tent City, so he's helping
[Feb. 22, 2021: Ruby Durham]
From the first time Dash Gutierrez saw a homeless man, he wanted to help. His mom said he even got mad when they didn't have anything to give.
"He started telling me 'Well, Mommy, why couldn’t we just give the out car? They can live in here,' or 'Why can't we just bring them home?'" Dash's mom Jessica Gutierrez said.
That's when Jessica Gutierrez came up with an idea.
Since last winter, Jessica and Dash Gutierrez have filled dozens of gallon freezer bags with everything from masks to gloves, socks, feminine products and snacks they can pass out to as many people as they can when driving by Charlotte's Tent City in Uptown.
“We always have to have bags in the car to make sure every time we see someone, we’re busting a U-turn to make sure that we give them something," Jessica Gutierrez said.
Jessica Gutierrez said the bags cost around $10.
But now as Tent City residents were relocated to nearby hotels after a rodent problem surfaced at the camp, Jessica Gutierrez created a GoFund Me in hopes to get more people.
"It’s already $430 in a week, so now we’re thinking what’s a bigger impact we can make instead of just making bags," Jessica Gutierrez said.
They're hoping their efforts can make a real difference and inspire others to do the same.
Dash Gutierrez's main reason for helping the homeless?
“Because I love them," Dash Gutierrez explained.
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Jessica Gutierrez is pushing for others to lend a helping hand, too.
“If you feel the need to help, then go ahead and nurture it," Jessica Gutierrez said.
To help Dash and Jessica Gutierrez's efforts, email dashlg2016@gmail or visit @dashshelpinghearts on Instagram.
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