The Rivera Family - A New Home but Never Alone

For our inaugural mission, the team decided there was no better place to start than home and Bridgeport was the perfect place.

For December’s mission, we wanted to give back to the shelter we were at first. 

I (DJ) got in contact with the District Manager Sabina and the case manager Kathiria, at the shelter for a sit down conversation. The sit-down conversation was 2 hours and 30 minutes long on how we could possibly help. Kathiria put me in contact with this amazing woman named Kelly who has been there for some time and who had just moved out a month prior. After connecting with Kelly, I realized exactly what she needed after countless calls and messages.

So a few days before Christmas – Chris, Moe, Connor and Bailen drove to her house to surprise her. I wanted to call her to make sure she was aware of what COULD be happening if she were chosen, so she wasn’t so alarmed of all these guys just potentially showing up to her place.

She opens the door and we walk into what seems like an empty apartment. No furniture besides an air mattress, and some spare cups and glasses and it honestly brought me back to living at the places I grew up in. Empty, having to get furniture from Goodwill, and more. It felt amazing to be able to be a part of a process that helped another family fulfill some of their not only Christmas wishes but current life wishes.

So Moe, I (DJ) and Bailen jumped in a U-Haul, whereas Chris, Connor and the Rivera family jumped in his Tesla and we all drove to IKEA.

When we got there , Kelly seemed to be shy on figuring out what she wanted or what she could get but we made sure to reassure her that there wasn’t any issues with anything she wanted. One the other hand, the daughter was running through that store like she already knew and dreamt about what she wanted. She would run from rooms and instantly say what she wanted. It made my heart smile! It made me wish someone had done something for us when we were kids. We got most of the things she needed whereas we had to order the others because Ikea was out of stock. Then, we headed to Walmart because that’s where she wanted to get everything from and her wish is our command lol.

Suddenly along the process the little girl started calling me the grinch, It was funny. We were running around the store tryna find what she wanted. It was all an amazing experience from top to bottom.

I’ll never forget when she came to me after we checked out of Walmart and she said “I would’ve never thought I’d get a call or I’d even receive help. I was prepared to have nothing. Now because of y’all we have something that’s ours and my girls don’t have to continue living with nothing. So thank you guys. You guys changed my life”.

It’s what Gold Hearted is all about. It doesn’t matter the story, situation or circumstances. It doesn’t matter the religion or geographical location. We’re here to help heal hearts. Here to help restore faith in our fellow neighbors.

We shouldn’t be a trillion dollar nation and still have people struggling. Veterans who fought for this country having nowhere to sleep and no access to mental health. We have families growing up in poverty not knowing when or where their next meal is gonna come from; that shouldn’t exist.

Moral of the story: life has a direct way of working out. My brother and I went from one side to the other and look where we’re at.

Give while you can because you’re gonna want someone to help you when you’re in need