PETERSBURG, Va. -- When Marlow Jones saw the homeless population in the City of Petersburg attempt to sleep through these cold winter nights, he knew he had to act.
"Every time I see them, I see myself as being a hiccup away from being in that condition," Jones said.
Jones began to buy emergency blankets to distribute to men and women sleeping on the street.
"You open it up, you seal it back up and you'll stay warm for the night," he said while demonstrating the thermal blanket that comes in a packet. "I know I can't sleep out here in the cold like that without something."
Others noticed Jones' altruism and the kindnesses spread with more people donating items to help the vulnerable population.
"I grew up in Petersburg with not a whole lot and I can kinda understand, what they're going through," Bubby Bish, who donated to the cause, shared.
Jones will spend the donated money on more blankets and sleeping bags.
"I'm sure a lot of them didn't ask to be there, just a wrong turn, a wrong decision," Jones said. "We got to dig deep and put ourselves in their situation and their shoes and really help them out."