RICHMOND, Va. β When New York native Samantha Coles reflects on her childhood, moments of hardship flood her memory.
"I remember my mom saying to my sister, Sheena and I, this is all I have to eat. And it was a pancake, one pancake and a glass of water, and this is what we ate, and we had to share it," Coles said.
Facing both hunger and homelessness as a kid, Coles hoped to eventually help those that faced a similar situation.
"I remember my mom saying, it's not going to be like this forever," Coles said.
Feeling as though she had a calling over her life to serve others, Coles leaned into it in full force in 2020.
"I was kind of feeling little down one the one Mother's Day weekend, and it was during the pandemic, and I wanted to do something to brighten up another woman's face," Coles said. "I called my family and friends say, hey, I want to give 25 women a gift card for dinner."
This act of selflessness served as a catalyst to what would soon be the Love and Kindness Krew β a group Coles started that is dedicated to caring for their community.
"Just remembering my experience not having the food and the proper shelter and a lifestyle that will help an individual thrive. And so after that, I got a group of my friends, couple of family members, and I said, Zoom meeting," Coles said.
For years now, on top of holding monthly feedings at various shelters, they volunteer their time and money to help students and their families.
"If the council say, hey, we need 300 toiletry items, that's when we come in and make that happen," Coles said.
It's a level of love that's multiplied for their very special Christmas morning breakfast.
"We want to make sure that every person that's living at the shelter, whether it be long term or overnight, that when they wake up on Christmas morning, that they have something to eat, the goal is, is to wake up and know that someone out here cares about them," Coles said.
Coles says on top of the extensive holiday menu and clothing they're providing for those at the Salvation Army shelter, they're prioritizing making those they serve feel loved.
"Sausages, eggs, grits, fried apples, croissants, hot chocolate, coffee," Coles said.
"We are talking, encouraging, hugging, praying for those who we come in contact," Coles said. "Because somebody did it for me and did it for my sister, Sheena. And so I have to give back."
The Love and Kindness Krew's next give back event will be in February. Those interested in helping can find them on Facebook.
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