8 News NOW has profiled some amazing people during its Acts of Kindness segments, including a North Las Vegas man who helps get homeless people off the streets in one month’s time.
A year ago, 30-year-old North Las Vegas resident Jesse Frank said he wanted his small acts of kindness to turn into a real game changer.
“At first, it started with just small, random acts of kindness: bottles of water, the food, things like that,” he said. “If I take someone and turn their life around in 30 days, I don’t know if it’s possible. We’ll see what we can do.”
This active duty airman at Nellis Air Force Base with a wife and three daughters used to be homeless.
Living on the streets of Houston, Texas for a year before entering the military, all he needed was the right opportunity to get back on his feet. That’s what he offers to those he meets.
“I just get their story, and I give them small, little tests,” he said. “’Hey, what do you need? Do you need a backpack? What do you need? Okay, cool, meet me here tomorrow.’ Right there, it shows me if they’re real or not.”
When he met a Puerto Rican native named Orlando, who was living on the streets of Las Vegas, Frank says he could sense a very strong work ethic in him. There were, however, many hurdles to overcome.
“There was a language barrier between us. His birth certificate took two weeks, then you go to the Social Security office. You need this. You need medical documents,” Frank said.
The challenge paid off. Orlando got a job, a new look and reconnected with family in Chicago.
“I do whatever I can. I put it out on social media, simply to inspire,” Frank said.
Next week, Frank gets his Acts of Kindness award, and you will meet Elissa and Kenny – a couple who desperately needed help and got it from Jesse Frank and the many wonderful businesses that helped along the way.
If you want to nominate someone for Acts of Kindness, visit our website or e-mail us.
