RICHMOND, Va. -- A group of young men in Richmond is embodying the phrase "it takes a village" by coming together to support those in need this Thanksgiving.
Brent Royal, Tommy Williams, and DeAndre Smith are part of a coalition of nonprofits dedicated to making a positive impact in the community.
"Instead of us doing things by ourselves, we just decided to bring our resources together to make it so one impacted area could really get the benefit," Royal said.
"Before we even go with our families and think about that, we want to be able to give back to our city," Williams said. "We feel as though there are these events where people who don’t have families really need the support or just the love and consideration from other people," Smith said.
Williams and Smith are co-founders of The All Equals Project, which is hosting its sixth annual Thanksgiving event. This year marks their second collaboration with Royal, who founded the nonprofit GM Giveback.
"Some people don’t have families to go to every day, they don’t have shelters, they don't have a lot of stuff, so being able to help them out and give a little," Williams said.
On Thanksgiving Day, starting at 9 a.m., the group will set up at the corner of R and 25th Streets to distribute hot meals, canned goods, free haircuts, hygiene products, and clothing to individuals in need.
"Every year’s event is a joy," Royal added. "It’s a heartwarming experience, it’s an uplifting experience."
As November approaches, the organizers are seeking donations and volunteers to help support their efforts.
"Last year we believe we serviced around 100 people, we want to double it," Smith said.
"Usually we run out of hygiene items, last year we had about 100 bags made, they went pretty fast," Williams added. "Our hot food went pretty fast, so anything helps honestly."
Despite facing their own challenges, they remain committed to uplifting those in their community who need it most.
"None of us are where we want to be in life, but the fact that we can all come together and kind of pitch in to be able to help everybody in need is something we kind of want to inspire the City of Richmond to continue to do," Royal said.
Here's a list of donation drop-off locations:
- Henrico High School
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