Nonprofit foundation Humanity Heroes showed up for the holidays again this year on Los Angeles’ Skid Row, where the city’s largest homeless population lives in substandard conditions, often on the street.
Volunteers handed out 800 bright red backpacks filled with personal care items and necessities, as well as hot to-go meals.
“If a company has the financial means to give back to the community, they should,” said BigMike Straumietis, founder of Humanity Heroes.
“This [COVID-19] pandemic has greatly impacted us all, but we will do what we can to help the homeless, especially during the holidays. I’m expanding our donation reach to six states: California—NorCal, SoCal, Los Angeles county, San Diego, and Long Beach—Nevada, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington. I encourage companies to donate and join me in helping the homeless.”
Straumietis also is founder of pioneering cannabis industry company Advanced Nutrients, and volunteers at Humanity Heroes are largely made up of members of the Advanced Nutrients team.
The organization was started as “Holiday Heroes” in 2012, to benefit the less fortunate in Bulgaria, where Straumietis is originally from. In late 2016, he expanded efforts to L.A.’s Skid Row, sponsoring giveaways for the winter holidays, and also in the spring. The team has held events to benefit veterans in need, as well, and in April, Humanity Heroes provided relief for essential workers.
Recipients at the latest event ranged from children to seniors, with diversity that included Whites, BIPOC, and those suffering from disabilities, among others.
“We want to thank those volunteers,” said Kevin Harlowe, former resident of Skid Row and now a chef at Bucca di Beppo, in the following video. “It’s very important to touch people’s lives, especially at this time of year.”
For more information on how you can help Humanity Heroes, visit JoinHumanityHeroes.org.