Chris Pruitt has a proven, systematic approach to helping the homeless in Anchorage.
Every week, Chris makes posts to his personal Facebook page…”I need 28 travel toothpaste, and 28 toothbrushes, 22 chapstick, and we are good to go.” The Saturday prior, he had asked the homeless directly about what they needed, making his regular route to over 11 homeless camps and hangouts, starting at 10:00 a.m. on Northern Lights. The next weekend, he will go back out to the same groups of people and distribute what he gathered during the week, asking for future requests.
“People are used to giving me stuff for the homeless at this point,” Chris says, “I almost don’t need to make the posts to Facebook anymore.”
Chris’ mission is that nobody goes hungry or cold on the streets. “A significant number of people died last year due to homeless,” says Chris, “They freeze to death. We did a big drive in December to get heaters and tents. We saved lives.”
The impact of his work has spread. There are now 2 ladies who go out every night to distribute hot meals.
Chris is working on incorporating as a 501(c)(3). He gets very specific requests from the homeless–bus tickets, size 13 boots, etc. He is hoping that becoming an established non-profit will help him get what they need. A certified substance abuse counselor, Chris is considering adding transitional living housing to his service. Stay tuned!