Thirteen-year-old Caleb White has a heart for the homeless
Caleb was just 6 years old when he saw a miserable and bedraggled man huddling against the bitter cold of our city streets. Instantly, he knew he had to do something to help.
Since that day seven years ago, Caleb has partnered with DRMM to personally improve the lives of people who are struggling with homelessness and other challenges. With help from family, friends, classmates, and others, he has distributed care packages full of toiletries and other essentials, and raised money for school backpacks and coats for needy children and adults.
Most recently Caleb launched a monthly game night which he hosts at DRMM’s Genesis House II, a DRMM residence for homeless women and children that provides employment and education services to help families get back on their feet. Through this pizza, soda pop, and board game outreach, Caleb and his cohorts share simple human kindnesses with boys and girls who need some fun in their lives . . . and need to know someone cares.
Game night is important to the kids, says Kisha Woods-Mathis, Director of Genesis House II. “They’ve been through so much. They’ve been hurt. Some have been evicted. Some have dealt with domestic violence,” she says.
For Caleb, his mission is clear: He wants to continue to help those in need and inspire others to do the same. “I just think that I can set an example for other people, so when I’m doing this they can see it and go out in their community and it can spread,” he says. “Everybody just assumes, ‘Oh, they’re homeless because they made bad choices.’ It’s not that way for everyone. A lot of people have stories that are really, really sad.”
Special thanks to Caleb, his family, and friends who do so much to ease the suffering of those in our community who are in need through their outreach, prayers, and ongoing financial support of DRMM!