Kid of the Year Finalist Ethan Hill, 11, on Helping the Homeless: ‘If You See a Problem, Fix It’

Ethan Hill was on his strategy to college in the future in 2016, when he observed a person dwelling underneath a freeway overpass. Regardless of solely being 6 years outdated on the time, Hill was decided to assist the person. After college, he started to analysis methods he might present support to the homeless.

A number of weeks later, Hill used his Christmas cash to purchase meals, snacks, water, tarps and toiletries to offer to the person, who he got here to know as Mr. Marcus, in addition to others who had been additionally dwelling underneath the freeway.

“He was so form, and he discovered a pleasant phrase to offer me,” Hill says. “So after that have, I realized that they’re folks too and if we will present some assist for them, they are often employed and have a steady dwelling situation.”
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5 years later, Hill’s bout of generosity has blossomed into Ethan’s Coronary heart Baggage 4 Blessings, a 501(c)3 non-profit group centered on donating charitable items to the homeless in Hill’s hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, and surrounding cities. The group requires donations so Hill, with the assistance of his dad and mom, can create and ship care packages to the homeless. Donors have the choice of sending in requirements like meals, clothes, hygienic provides, and sleeping baggage, as an example, or can select to make a financial donation to the group instantly.

As of 2020, there have been 3,351 folks experiencing homelessness in Alabama, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Housing and City Growth’s Annual Homeless Evaluation Report. Nationally, this quantity swells to roughly 580,000 folks. Whereas 60% of individuals experiencing homelesseness lived in non permanent places—such emergency shelters—in keeping with the report, practically 4 in 10 folks had been dwelling in “locations not appropriate for human habitation” equivalent to in parks, or deserted buildings.

Because the nation went into quarantine in 2020, folks experiencing homelessness grew to become uniquely susceptible to the unfold of COVID-19. Whereas making private deliveries grew to become unsafe, Hill didn’t let this deter him. He requested the native Birmingham Police Division in the event that they had been prepared to assist ship his care packages whereas out on their beats, and so they readily agreed.

“Like my dad and mom say, when you stroll into the home and also you see trash, decide it up, put it within the trash can,” Hill says. “Should you see an issue, repair it.”

With the assistance of native legislation enforcement, Hill’s packages had been delivered to folks in the midst of the night time and within the components of the county he wouldn’t have been capable of go to on his personal, rising the attain of his donations.

Hill says his work has additionally led him to constructing relationships, and gaining knowledge, from many within the homeless group.

“They can provide you these little nuggets of life that no one ever advised you,” he says.

After assembly a homeless veteran final 12 months—whom he refers to as Mr. Richard—Hill was decided to seek out him housing. With the assistance of his dad and mom, Ebony and David Hill, Hill situated a boarding residence and, by way of donations to his group, he was capable of pay for the primary month for Mr. Richard. The Hills then related Mr. Richard with Veteran Affairs to assist him discover everlasting housing.

“Over my journey I’ve discovered that it doesn’t matter what, they’re folks. Life occurs. You don’t should look down on any person due to the state they’re in,” says Hill.

Hill has since collected a village of supporters who donate and assist bundle his baggage. The group receives “a pair thousand” donations a 12 months, he says.

“One of the best a part of all of it is to have the ability to take the platforms that I get placed on and flip these into donations, which exit to the folks,” Hill says.

As for his hopes for the long run, Hill believes he’s simply getting began.

“I’m making an attempt to construct homeless camps sooner or later,” he says. “I’m making an attempt to have a sit down with the President and discuss what we might do to get extra funding for these which can be on the market and make use of a few of them that’s on the market too and get them working, get them into steady situations.” In September, the Biden Administration launched “Home America”, a federal initiative calling on cities, counties, states and tribal authorities leaders to decide to lowering homelessness, in trade for federal help and sources.

Hill doesn’t solely need to assist the homeless by way of a top-down strategy, however hopes to work alongside these in the neighborhood to assist him develop his efforts.

“I’d wish to get a few of these homeless people who [are] on the market regular and I’ll attempt to see if they might attempt to assist me with work, to exit and assist. They know the place all of the populated locations are. So they may inform us what the locations are, we will go there and we will provide extra folks with the wants they’ve.”

Finally, Hill’s hope is that homelessness will finish, however so long as folks need assistance, he will likely be there to offer it he says.

“Homelessness is an issue that we will at the very least attempt to remedy. We’re by no means going to unravel it. However we will at the very least try to strive. It by no means hurts to strive. So if [we] can get [them] reasonably priced housing, we will put a few of them in rehab, get their life collectively, a few of them. They will really be a billionaire, a kind of huge company homeowners that affect folks. They are often nice.”