CHICAGO — At 9 years old, Jahkil Jackson is helping his community take care of those in need. It all started the day his aunt took him to feed the homeless. Jackson was saddened when he saw how the homeless lived. “They didn’t have items to start or end their day,” say Jackson.
So he and his mother took action, creating the non-profit, iAMNaeem.
Jackson puts together “Blessing Bags” which he hands out to the homeless community. The bags are filled with toothbrushes, socks, soap, deodorant — everyday items a person needs.
He disburses the bags from the back of his godfather’s pickup truck. He’s on the ground, meeting the homeless community face-to-face while handing out bags. Jackson’s mother says he always takes charge during these trips, proving to be a strong leader at such a young age.
“In a perfect world, I would buy every homeless person a house,” Jackson says. “But since I can’t do that, I will try to help as much as I can.”
Since starting his non-profit, he’s distributed almost 2,000 Blessing Bags. Jackson’s goal for the end of 2017 is to distribute 5,000 bags.
To read more: Boy saw how homeless lived and did something about it
November 24, 2024