A recent Texas Tech graduate started an outreach program for the homeless in Lubbock.
You may see them on the streets, but you don’t know their story. Kevin Price is trying to change that through Hearing the Homeless.
“The mission of Hearing the Homeless is to capture the stories of those that are living on the streets and share them with the world to try to break through some of the misconceptions that are out there,” Price said.
He is meeting people to share their stories.
This includes people like Kerisha Griffin, a homeless mother who wants to find a job and give her three children a better life.
“Right now I’m struggling to get back on my feet. We’re staying at the Salvation Army right now,” Griffin said.
Griffin’s children are what keep her going, she said.
The inspiration for Hearing the Homeless started when Price was young.
“The town that I grew up in, there was only one homeless individual there, and me and Ricky D, we just developed a strong friendship over a 15-year period, and I was just able to see his life transformed throughout those years,” Price said.
He wants to bring this outreach program to different colleges and is starting in the Hub City. He says talking to the homeless, sitting with them and having a cup of coffee can help change their perspective on life.
Instead of handing out cash, he wants to set up prepaid gift cards.
“Building a community of support around those individuals, through creating a crowdfunding platform where individuals in the community can provide direct relief on these prepaid expense cards,” Price said.
Price hopes this changes people’s perspective on Lubbock’s homeless community. He encourages people to get to know them better and help if possible.
“I’ve always been naturally curious about other people,” Price said. “When I went to go see Ricky D, he was just one of the most loving sincere guys that I had ever met.”
A kickoff event will be hosted on September 30. To learn more, visit www.hearingthehomeless.org.