We all know how important good news is – your soul needs it! This story about Adrian Young, an eight-year old boy from Toowoomba, Australia, is one piece of good news you need in your life today!
On happening across a homeless man in Toowoomba’s CBD (central business district), something struck Adrian as unjust and tragically unbelievable about this person’s situation. He wanted to take the man home so he didn’t have to spend the night in the cold, and extend that kindness to the hundreds of others in the area who he learned also may not have homes.
Adrian spoke further with the man about how his life had transpired and after giving him some money, Adrian returned to his home but couldn’t stop thinking about the unfairness of the man’s situation. So the young boy continued to donate any money he had to helping this person have access to basic fundamentals such as toothpaste, body wash, water and warm clothes. Adrian still needed to do more.
Photo: Adrian’s GoFundMe page
That was when Jennifer, Adrian’s mother, stepped in and helped Adrian make another 50 care packs of clothes, toiletries and food for those who were homeless in their community. On each pack there was a note saying “I care about you. With love xo”. Adrian and Jennifer enlisted the help of their family to distribute the packs to individuals at Toowoomba’s Base Services – one of many scattered across the country. Delighted by the response from the care pack recipients, Adrian said to his mother “Did you see their huge smiles?”
The eight-year old has since set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for another 50 care packs. Already the donations have amounted to over $2,000 and Adrian has “now started our next lot of care packs thanks to everyone’s generous donations”. He is also very excited about the care packs being prepared for children in the area who may need them as we bet he would love to share with them some of his favorite snacks – Tim Tams!
Adrian Young is indeed a very special and loving young boy with a heart big enough to make tangible changes in the lives of some of society’s most vulnerable. There are many ways to fight homelessness and one way is to get involved with your local food bank as a business or individual. Businesses have a multitude of different options open to them so check online about what you can encourage your colleagues to get involved with!
If you would like to be part of Adrian’s love campaign, then you can donate here. It is easy to forget how good it feels to do something so wonderful for another human being and this feeling is absolutely contagious. Adrian touched the lives of so many and not just practically – his actions and words – “I care about you” – will hopefully have inspired the motivation for some individuals on the streets to change what they can change to make their lives more livable. You may know what’s coming next, but it needs to be said – feel the kindness and pass it on!
