Stories of Kindness from Around the World

"Family Dinners" With Alaska Street Rats


--by Jassz, posted Aug 24, 2009

Last summer a very good friend of mine introduced me to a group of kids, who live in the downtown area. Many couch-hop with friends, some stay in the local teen shelter and some sleep in tents, sheds and sometimes in a park with just a coat. These kids are brave, but they are young. Some come from families that were hard, others just didn't know how to cope.

My name is Mama Jassz and my best friend is Mama Darque (dark). At least once a week, we get these kids together and buy lots of food from donations (usually from our own pockets) and have a "family dinner" together.  We strive to make sure every child there gets a little something and we even save some crackers for the stragglers. 

These kids (ages 15 - 30) don't really have any family. Most are runaways, or were kicked out, some were left by choice or cruel need. They have attitudes on the outside, but underneath, I see kindness, a willingness to learn and the determination to become something. Some come to eat and take what they can because they have nowhere else to go. Others come to socialize and be with people who know what it's like to live like they do. That’s what family is about!

So, I’m Mama Jassz, and every Friday, I try really hard to gather enough food, so that we can warm about 10 - 45 kids bellies. Because they're my FAMILY now. And they deserve to eat, be warm and be loved!

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Readers Comments

makesomeonesmile wrote: That is very kind of you, keep up the great work!
sethi wrote: That's great. You have brouht smiles to so many people and their lives would change for the better. There is so much abundance in you .
FairyBubbles wrote: You are doing something so special - God will bless you.
flowergirl wrote: you are an angel

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