Cassie
Welcome!
Welcome to the Cassie Kits Blog! This is a place where you can learn about Cassie and this project inspired by her, as well as read the stories of those who have been helped by people like you. As you give out the Cassie Kits, please talk to the recipients and learn their stories. If they don't mind, take a picture with them! Then send the stories and pictures to cassiekits@gmail.com to be posted here. The world is made a better place one act of kindness at a time. Lets all work together and share in the joy of selfless service! Order Cassie Kits by clicking here!
Cassie Kits
http://universe.byu.edu/2016/11/21/provo-couple-remembers-sister-through-service-to-homeless/
Lea
We met Lea on a crisp, fall morning in a beautiful wooded park. Lea was sitting under a pavilion, with her few possessions strewn over a table, and using a small mirror to do her makeup and straighten her hair. Lea apologized when we first walked up to her and explained that she was having a very bad day. We asked her if we could visit with her for a while and told her about Cassie and how she had always been a light in the lives of everyone who knew her. We gave her a Cassie Kit and explained that we wanted to honor Cassie's memory by reaching out to others and brightening their day. Lea was very touched by the story and tears came to her eyes as she thanked us. She told us that she had just broken up with her fiance, was kicked out of her apartment, and didn't have anywhere to go. She had been feeling very alone and was grateful that we stopped to talk.
The first thing that I noticed about Lea was her quick smile and outgoing personality. She makes new friends easily and her favorite thing to do is to meet random people and to take pictures with them. Lea is known for her cheerful optimism by everyone who knows her. She told us her friends would be very surprised to see her that morning, alone and sad and discouraged. But, true to her nature, she quickly brightened and told us that she wasn't going to stay like this for long. Lea said that she knows that she is in complete control of her future, and that no matter what life throws at her, she wants to make the best of it. She admits that recent choices and mistakes had brought her low, but she was determined to make changes and start her life on the right track.
Lea is the youngest of 9 children and said that she loved being the baby of the family. Her mother died when she was very young and left a huge hole in their family. Lea told us that although she loves her father and siblings, her family was never the same again without her mom. Lea loves playing softball and played at the Salt Lake Community College for a few years. She even had a scholarship to play at the University of Arizona, but turned down the opportunity because she didn't want to move far away from her family. She also loves longboarding and showed us the different scars she had collected from this hobby.
Lea says that the hardest thing about being homeless is keeping track of all of her stuff. She says that her things get stolen a lot, which is very frustrating to her. But with a smile, she told us that whenever it happens, she just hopes that whoever took her things needed them more than she did. "As long as they don't take my longboard," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "They can't have my longboard!"
I was very impressed by Lea's friendliness, compassion, and determination. Although life had not been easy for her, she is optimistic about the future and eager to bless others with her friendship and kindness. She gave me a hug as we said goodbye, and thanked me for brightening her day. But I felt that in reality, Lea had brightened my day. She taught me a lot through her cheerful example about seeing the good in life, even when it's hard. Lea told me as we left, "I wouldn't give up these hard times I'm going through, even if I could, because every trial is just a stepping stone to a better future!"
Lea is the youngest of 9 children and said that she loved being the baby of the family. Her mother died when she was very young and left a huge hole in their family. Lea told us that although she loves her father and siblings, her family was never the same again without her mom. Lea loves playing softball and played at the Salt Lake Community College for a few years. She even had a scholarship to play at the University of Arizona, but turned down the opportunity because she didn't want to move far away from her family. She also loves longboarding and showed us the different scars she had collected from this hobby.
Lea says that the hardest thing about being homeless is keeping track of all of her stuff. She says that her things get stolen a lot, which is very frustrating to her. But with a smile, she told us that whenever it happens, she just hopes that whoever took her things needed them more than she did. "As long as they don't take my longboard," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "They can't have my longboard!"
I was very impressed by Lea's friendliness, compassion, and determination. Although life had not been easy for her, she is optimistic about the future and eager to bless others with her friendship and kindness. She gave me a hug as we said goodbye, and thanked me for brightening her day. But I felt that in reality, Lea had brightened my day. She taught me a lot through her cheerful example about seeing the good in life, even when it's hard. Lea told me as we left, "I wouldn't give up these hard times I'm going through, even if I could, because every trial is just a stepping stone to a better future!"
Linda
When I met Linda, I could immediately tell that she had a strong spirit and a good heart despite the many challenges she had faced in her life.
Although orphaned at a young age, she was adopted along with 7 other children into a kind Mormon family living in Midway, Utah. After graduating high school she made some poor choices and found herself mired in addiction to hard drugs. For 32 years she abused drugs from meth to heroin, and made her living selling the drugs to others. Almost as addicting as the drugs was the money that she was able to make selling them. She said that there were times when she made $1,000 per day selling these drugs to others. However, she grew to hate this life of drug abuse, and despise even more the part she was playing in destroying the lives of others, so about a year ago she decided to give it all up and give herself over to God. With a lot of prayers and tears she was able to overcome her addiction to drugs and stopped selling them as well. It was extremely hard to go from making such good money to being destitute, but with support from her new LDS ward and her good friends on the street she has been able to start a new life. She just started a vocational training course teaching her about dental implants that will allow her to have her own shop in a year and a half. She said these changes have been hard, but that she wouldn't go back to her old life for anything. Good for you Linda! I pray that you can continue on this path of hope and opportunity!
This kit delivery was made possible by a donation from: Dan Moyes, Schertz, TX
Although orphaned at a young age, she was adopted along with 7 other children into a kind Mormon family living in Midway, Utah. After graduating high school she made some poor choices and found herself mired in addiction to hard drugs. For 32 years she abused drugs from meth to heroin, and made her living selling the drugs to others. Almost as addicting as the drugs was the money that she was able to make selling them. She said that there were times when she made $1,000 per day selling these drugs to others. However, she grew to hate this life of drug abuse, and despise even more the part she was playing in destroying the lives of others, so about a year ago she decided to give it all up and give herself over to God. With a lot of prayers and tears she was able to overcome her addiction to drugs and stopped selling them as well. It was extremely hard to go from making such good money to being destitute, but with support from her new LDS ward and her good friends on the street she has been able to start a new life. She just started a vocational training course teaching her about dental implants that will allow her to have her own shop in a year and a half. She said these changes have been hard, but that she wouldn't go back to her old life for anything. Good for you Linda! I pray that you can continue on this path of hope and opportunity!
This kit delivery was made possible by a donation from: Dan Moyes, Schertz, TX
Jeremy
Jeremy is from Price, Utah but has been living in Florida, far away from home for the past 3 years. He just returned to Utah less than 2 weeks ago and is already missing the warm, beautiful Florida summer. He admitted that he is not looking forward to the Utah winter, especially the thought of the cold nights he will be enduring on the streets. But when I asked him why he left, despite loving Florida so much, he replied, "My family needed me."
Jeremy told me that his life was pretty normal until he was 17 years old. He was going to high school and living the life of a normal teenager who loved parties, friends, and sports. But everything changed and his world crashed down around him the night that his mother overdosed on heroin and died. "I really started going downhill fast after that," he told me, and described how he turned to drugs to cope with the pain. Drug addictions led to contention in his family and trouble at school. Eventually, he dropped out of high school, packed his bags, and tried to get as far away as he could. "I just wanted to leave everything behind me and run away from the pain," he told me.
Although homeless, Jeremy still loved his life and friends on the streets of Florida. Life was still not easy, and he admits that he still struggled with drug addictions and doing "dumb things" that got him in trouble with the law a few times. He told me that when life seems to hard, he likes to remember his mother. Jeremy proudly showed me the tattoo on his chest. His mother's full name and the dates of her birth and her death are printed directly above his heart. Jeremy told me that he loves the constant reminder of her and knowing that no matter what, she is always with him.
I was impressed that Jeremy was willing to leave everything he loved in Florida behind and to come back to Utah to help mend his relationship with his father and to help his 5 younger siblings who are still struggling with the loss of their mother. Even though he isn't sure how he can help, he wants to do all that he can to do the right thing and to be here for them.
This kit delivery was made possible by a donation from: Dan Moyes, Schertz, TX
Demetrius
When I met Demetrius he was casually enjoying the beautiful October day in a park in Provo. He wore a hoodie and jeans and looked like he didn't have a care in the world. I struck up a conversation and learned about his life and dreams. We all have dreams, but most of us doubt them and eventually forget them. This young man was chasing them despite the difficulties.
In his early twenties with a clean appearance, Demetrius didn't look like the average person you might see living on the street. I learned that he had actually just moved from North Carolina a few months ago and was attending Utah Valley University majoring in Business Administration. He dreamed of finishing his degree and going on to get an MBA before returning home and taking over his family's roofing business. I asked him if it was hard to be so far from home, and he said it was, but that he was glad for a change of scenery. Not only had he come to Utah to get an education, but also to escape what he termed an arranged marriage with his former girlfriend. So without much money to his name, or family to support him, Demetrius travelled across the country to start a new life and pursue his dreams. Now he's loving school, and is even at the top of his class. Good for you Demetrius! I hope you achieve all that you hope for!
Before we said goodbye, he motioned to something that he wore around his neck. Like me he had recently lost someone very dear to him. His best friend had been serving as a Marine in the Middle East when he was killed just a few months ago. In remembrance of his good friend, he wore his friend's ring and military dog tags on a chain around his neck. Together we briefly mourned the loss of our loved ones and then said our goodbyes. We all will face loss in our lives at some point, and as we reach out to others in our sorrow it can truly bring us together.
This kit delivery was made possible by a donation from: Dan Moyes, Schertz, TX
Heather
If I could use one word to describe Heather, it would be loving. The minute we sat down next to her, she smiled and started talking to us like we were old friends. She could not get enough of Benjamin and Isaac and told me over and over again how lucky I was to have such cute babies. I could tell she was hungry as she pulled out the crackers from the Cassie Kit, but to my surprise she first offered one to Benjamin! She loved seeing the smile on his face as he eagerly took it from her hand. Then she pulled out everything she had in her bag to try to find something he could play with. He especially loved her large collection of flashlights and she couldn't stop laughing at his excitement as she showed him how to make them blink and change colors. I could easily tell that she was a person who loved easily and whole-heartedly and who got her happiness from making those around her happy.
As we talked, Heather confided in me that it was very hard to be homeless and to feel like people around her were looking down at her or judging her. She said that she wishes people could understand that no one chooses to be living on the streets. The difficult events that happened in her life and the life of her homeless friends really could have happened to anyone.
Heather has definitely had her share of trials in her life. She had her first baby before she was even a teenager, as a result from a rape. She told me that her baby was a bright ray of light during this dark time of her life. Sadly, this baby only lived to be 6 months old. While she was at court, testifying against her abuser, her baby died from an accidental suffocation as a result of the caretaker's neglect. Later, at the young age of 14, Heather married a 29 year old man who she thought would make all her problems disappear. She told me that she loved him very much and dreamed that she would raise a big, happy family with him. However, this marriage turned out to be what she calls the worst mistake of her life. Her husband was physically, verbally and emotionally abusive and would frequently beat her, pull her hair and call her names. Heather hoped he would change and, although miserable, she stayed with him for several years. Together they had 4 children. She and her kids finally escaped his abuse and found refuge in a Women's Shelter. But when his constant death threats and disturbances began to endanger the other residents at the shelter, Heather found herself homeless and struggling to care for her 4 young children on the streets.
Life did improve for a few years and she was able to find a job and rent a small apartment in Provo. Heather told me after being homeless, she felt so blessed to have a roof over her head again. She invited all of her friends from the streets to sleep every night at her apartment and would often have around 17 people sleeping on the floor and couches of her small living room. She loved being able to help them and made a goal that one day she would own a huge house where she could invite every homeless person in Provo to sleep. However, after 4 years she lost her job and was back on the streets.
Heather said her greatest joy in life is her family. The smile on her face and sparkle in her eyes brightened as she told me about each of her 4 children and 9 grandchildren - and another baby grandson on the way! Her youngest son, Levi, lives with her on the streets, but she rarely gets to see the others. She told me that although her kids would like to visit her, she doesn't want her grandkids to see her living this way or to worry about her.
I was surprised when Heather told me that she has no regrets for the difficulties that she has gone through in her life. She told me that she knows that each experience has made her the strong woman that she is today. She also has become compassionate towards people in every situation because her trials have made it so she can truly relate with them. She is well-loved by her friends in her homeless community, and most of them affectionately call her "Mom"! Heather impressed me by her positive, cheerful attitude even in the bleakest of circumstances, and her strong desire to bless the lives of those around her, even though she, herself, has so little.
This kit delivery was made possible by a donation from: Dan Moyes, Schertz, TX
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