FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The owner of a vintage boutique store partnered with local ministries to give people food and a blanket Saturday.
“Everybody’s struggling, but we still do what God wants us to do,” owner of Bebe O’s Vintage Boutique Lupe Aguilar-Oftedal said.
At the corner of Palm and Olive Avenues were groups of people trying to spread holiday joy – to those who need it the most.
“Whatever they need, we’re here to help everybody. Like I said, everybody needs a good Christmas,” Aguilar-Oftedal said.
“We come out to feed the less fortunate and the hungry,” the founder of Men and Women of Prayer Adam Beas said.
Beas has been serving the unhoused for years. His ministry also gave away hats, socks, and jackets.
“We were homeless at one time. We were dealing with our addictions. We were homeless. We had a situation where a lot of these men come from broken homes, broken dreams, and we just want to come back and give back to the community,” Beas said.
These services help folks like Antwan Dailey. He said it’s been a difficult five years without a home.
“These people that come out to help, man, they’ve been doing a good job. A wonderful job,” Dailey said. He added that the giveaways are a big help, especially with the recent cold and upcoming rain.
“I just don’t remember experiencing these winds like this when I was young growing up,” Dailey said.
The owner of Bebe O’s Vintage Boutique store helped organize the charitable event.
“I’ve been doing it from my store, helping the community with food, with clothing, with toys for Christmas for 18 years,” Aguilar-Oftedal said.
Their work is essential with the cold weather and rain ahead.
“Honestly, I’m so tired of driving by and finding somebody dead on the street. Our city council really needs to work with us in order to get these people off the street,” Aguilar-Oftedal said.
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