A Heart for the Homeless Drives 11-year-old to Donate The Salvation Army

Justin Hewitt, 11, from Napanee, Ont., went to a local grocery store to spend $15 he had in his pocket. However, he ended up not spending this on himself but on others. He donated all the money he had to a Salvation Army Christmas kettle.

“I always care about people. There shouldn’t be homeless people at all. Everyone should always have a place to live,” Justin says.

This isn’t the first time Justin has supported the kettle campaign. He recalls being fascinated by kettles at a young age.

“If we needed extra items for our children The Salvation Army was always there for us.”

“When I was five, it was the first time I saw a kettle. I asked my mom if I could put two dollars in it,” Justin adds. His grandmother and guardian, Sheila Birch, says Justin has always had a big heart for helping others.

“Ever since he was little, whenever he saw a kettle he would say, ‘Nana, Nana. Can I have money to put in?’ I would give him a few dollars and say, ‘Go ahead’. It’s something he has always wanted to do,” Sheila shares.

Justin’s grandparents are proud of his commitment to helping The Salvation Army as they have been associated with the organization for a long time.

“Giving to The Salvation Army will always be good for the people they help.”

“If we needed extra items for our children The Salvation Army was always there for us,” James Birch, Justin’s grandfather shares.

The Army provided the Birch family with extra food and clothing for their children and grandchildren. Justin also attends summer camps run by The Salvation Army.

Shiela and James encourage people to follow Justin’s example by donating to the kettles.

“If you can give, give!” Sheila says.

“Giving to The Salvation Army will always be good for the people they help,” James adds.

As for Justin, he will continue to donate to Salvation Army kettles whenever he can, hoping his contributions can help more people find places to live.

By Juan Romero