Anthony Delgado, founder of I Care America, is on a mission to help support the homeless and the Hebrew Order of David is lending a hand.
I Care America, formerly known as I Care Atlanta, is a nonprofit devoted to ending homelessness by reaching out to the working poor and homeless men, women, and children in metro Atlanta and surrounding communities. Delgado says his group partners with several local police departments and businesses. Retail stores donate food and money, and police direct people in need to Delgado so he can help find them shelter or other resources.
“The way it has been, this pandemic is so tight for us, but we seem to manage to make our payments. We are struggling right now. We are feeding so many people. We give out and G-d fills us back up.”
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Delgado says he has seen a significantly higher demand for food and shelter since the pandemic hit. He says many people do not have unemployment checks and he worries that when rent forgiveness ends, there will be an uptick in homelessness. He says he feeds about 400 people in one day.
The organization also has a GED training center, financial planning center, and during the holiday season they give out brand new toys to dozens of children, as well as holding food drives. When asked what ordinary people can do to help the homeless, Delgado advises not to give money directly to them but to give them food or talk with them over a cup of coffee. He also recommends telling people to call their local United Way for assistance getting the resources they need.
Delgado’s story is one of inspiration, intervention, and immersion as he was once living on the streets himself and addicted to crack.
“I was dropped off at a train station in Doraville after an argument with my cousin. That is when my journey as a drug-addicted homeless person began. I did a lot of bad l things. Crack was my drug of choice and I panhandled on the…
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