MEMPHIS, Tenn. — This is the season of giving and in the Volunteer State, giving is what we do. Every crease, tape, and fold is a gift far more than what’s inside for one family to get the hope they needed this holiday season.
“It's hard to find people that actually care,” said Tequilia Thomas, a Memphis mother of three children.
Care is gift-wrapped underneath her children’s presents this year.
For years, Heal the Hood Foundation of Memphis has held its '12 Days of Christmas' collecting toys and clothes and delivering them to families in need.
The group paid a visit to Thomas and her family as the pandemic left her with no job.
“I’m a security guard,” said Thomas. “It's been really tough. You have to wear a mask everywhere you go. You don't want to work at certain jobs, so you don't want to get exposed to it. It's been very tough. Luckily, I just started working the kids are back in school. Hopefully, it gets better from here.”
That came with a simple gesture from Heal the Hood.
“They came on thinking was Saturday morning. It was raining, but that didn't stop anything because we were out there in the rain. They're really great. They sang and did a little rap for us,” said Thomas. “I can tell that they really do care and are good for the community because we all need a little happier community. They just show us that there are good people out there.”