Local Resident Creates Non

Help the Homies founder, Donte Churchill, is pictured here during one of the regular food distributions to the homeless.

It was during the pandemic that Donte Churchill found his calling and decided to help others. Churchill started by volunteering at the Rock Church thrift store, Angel's Closet, and picking up donations of furniture. He also took notice of the many homeless people on the streets of San Diego and decided to do something about it. That led to the decision to create a non-profit to help the homeless called "Help the Homies." His work with the homeless paired with his t-shirt company, Go Get It Gear, that features positive quotes, is making a difference.

When Churchill and his girlfriend moved to San Diego from Atlanta a few years ago they volunteered for the Rock Church's Toy for Joy and kept a church contact's business card. One day Churchill saw a homeless person near 7-Eleven. "I asked ‘do you need clothes?’ I called [the contact] up and went to get clothes for the homeless person… I saw the need," he recalled. These days Churchill is very busy between his day job and working to help the homeless. A few times a week he picks up donations of burritos at Sombreros in El Cajon and spends time going to downtown San Diego and Pt. Loma to hand out food. In the past he also went to Harbourside Park in Chula Vista until it was closed.

Churchill, 45, said that thanks to the help of the founder of Community Through Hope he has learnt a lot about creating the non-profit. "She's helping me personally, coaching me to get my idea organized," he said. Churchill's next step is to have a board of directors and writing the bylaws. "Ultimately I want to help the homeless with resources to get to the next season of life, so homelessness is not permanent… the goal is for them to go back to living a normal life," he explained.

In addition to the work for his own organization, Churchill also volunteers at the Imperial Beach Neighborhood Center Saturday Shower Program. "To help somebody… you see how grateful they are," he said. "I feel good when I help others… I’m able to relate to them… I’ve always been a good liaison." Churchill is the type of person people relate to. Anyone that talks to him can see his concern is genuine and those in need respond and open up to him. "I’ve been serving my whole life. I’ve been in the service industry since I was 15," he explained.

Churchill is originally from the Bay Area, studied marketing at Xavier University of Louisiana and lived in San Diego before moving to Atlanta. A few years ago he moved back to Imperial Beach when a friend asked him to run a brewery in Chula Vista. Churchill's desire to help the homeless was already developing when he lived in Atlanta. Living in proximity to a homeless shelter he often distributed sack lunches to the unsheltered.

The idea of t-shirts with positive quotes was something that started a few years ago. He made it happen during the pandemic when he had more time on his hands. He called his company Go Get It Gear, and the t-shirts are a way for people to buy new cool stuff and help the homeless at the same time. For every t-shirt purchased one is donated to the homeless. The quotes on the t-shirts come from Churchill's own creative mind. Over the years he has written many quotes that he compiled into a book. One Christmas, his girlfriend Crystal decided to use a few of his quotes and put them on t-shirts and surprised him. "Some quotes are religious, but the direction is for them to be inspiring and motivational," he said.

While the homeless problem is multi-faceted, what strikes Churchill the most is that the homeless help each other. "Many times [when I deliver the burritos] the homeless will come and help me," he said. Churchill has seen many examples of homeless individuals helping each other. One time when someone gave a homeless man $100, Churchill saw him go to McDonald's and buy food for a bunch of people. "People that don't have much help each other. The gesture is what counts," he said.

Churchill was touched when he talked to a couple on the street recently. "It's the first time anybody has helped us in two years," he was told. That gave Churchill a lot to think about and how more outreach has to happen.

His dream is to have a motor home and drive to areas where homeless individuals need help. "Have a motor home with resources, clothes, food, access to showers and go to different cities," he said.

Over the years he has talked to many who have fallen into homelessness and he has found that often it's caused by trauma. "I talk to them, find out what's going on… every situation is different. Most people I talk to are looking for a change and want to get out of homelessness and look for work," he said. The problem Churchill said is that if someone is homeless and can't charge his phone and doesn't have an address it's hard to find a job.

Apart from helping these individuals get out of their unsheltered situation, his goal is also to educate people about how easy it is to help. "Look in your drawers, get old socks out of your drawer and see how much impact you can have without spending money," he said.

"I feel it's something I have to do. I read the Bible more and what I’m reading is in line with what I’m doing," he said.

He recently applied for the 501 (c)3 status so he will be able to give tax receipts to his donors. Sometimes Churchill uses his own resources to help the homeless, but most of the time he gets help from other non-profits though his connections. Currently he is working with the homeless about four days a week making time in between his day job, but in the future hopes for the non-profit to be his full time job. "I’m blessed. I encourage other people to find what their passion and purpose is and excel in those areas," he said.

Churchill is a positive man and believes in the passing of knowledge, and goodness will follow. "Take what you know and teach someone else about it, pass it on, and the world will be a better place," said Churchill.

Some of Churchill's quotes include, "Write Your Own Story, Don't Let the Story be Written About You" and "Small Steps Lead to Big Moves." Churchill carries a notebook with him and when he thinks of a new quote he writes it down anywhere he is.

"I’m blessed to be able to do things others can't… God aligns things up," he said.

For more information or to purchase t-shirts log on gogetitgear.com. Or check out Go Get It Gear on Instagram. Donations can be sent to Venmo@helpthehomies.

Vol. 38, No. 46 - Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022

Log In

Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,racist or sexually-oriented language.PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming anotherperson will not be tolerated.Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyoneor anything.Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ismthat is degrading to another person.Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link oneach comment to let us know of abusive posts.Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitnessaccounts, the history behind an article.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.