Three people on a mission to feed the homeless in Charlottesville and beyond
[July 30, 2020: WHSV 3] Taking the time out of your day to stop and help people in need is what three incredible people are doing at The…
[July 30, 2020: WHSV 3]
Taking the time out of your day to stop and help people in need is what three incredible people are doing at The Haven in downtown Charlottesville.
“We’re helping homeless people because we want them to succeed in their life,” 9-year-old Jayden Toye said.
Toye is helping his dad, Jerome Henry and his dad’s friend Robert Anderson, give back to the community by bringing food and drinks to homeless people.
Anderson and Henry regularly pick up food from a nearby drive thru to give people who need it the most something to eat and drink. They’ve been doing it together since the beginning of June.
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“They’re just people just like me and you. They bleed just like us and they have feelings just like us, so why not treat them like that,” Anderson said.
The need for comfort right now is more important than ever before and that’s why these three are there to stop, help, and listen.
After bringing the food into The Haven, they regularly sit down to talk with the people in the shelter and listen to whatever they want to discuss. “A lot of people have lost jobs. A lot of people are just losing hope, and I’m here to bring that back here with me,” Anderson said.
“It’s very easy, it fills someone’s stomach. It takes five minutes to go to a drive-thru, pick up a sandwich, and help someone in need,” Henry said.
Buying food for those in need is not new to Henry. He says he’s been doing this on his own for six years while traveling for work. “I drive a lot for work and when I’m passing by and see someone in distress, I stop and talk to them and give them water and food. I’ve been to Maryland, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Pennsylvania,” he said.
Bringing his son Jayden to the shelter at a young age teaches him life-long lessons that Henry wants him to remember. “It’s important to bring him to show him that what it could end up like and not take life for granted,” Henry said....MORE
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Joseph Shavit, based in Los Angeles, is a seasoned science journalist, editor and co-founder of The Brighter Side of News, where he transforms complex discoveries into clear, engaging stories for general readers. With experience at major media groups like Times Mirror and Tribune, he writes with both authority and curiosity. His work spans astronomy, physics, quantum mechanics, climate change, artificial intelligence, health, and medicine. Known for linking breakthroughs to real-world markets, he highlights how research transitions into products and industries that shape daily life.