Started GoFundMe to help
As a news report played on television at her Hahnville home, Kasey Lacrouts couldn’t shake the feeling that things just weren’t fair.
The segment that caught her eye was in part centered around the hardships the homeless were facing during the recent run of frigid weather. A homeless woman was interviewed and Lacrouts heard her note that she couldn’t find reliable shelter because many places won’t accept people with animals — the interviewed woman had a dog.
“She hoped the blankets she had would be enough for the two of them to brace the cold nights ahead,” Lacrouts said. “So I felt like I‘m sitting here in my comfortable home while they’re out there trying to survive. I didn’t think it was fair. They need these things essential to life, and everyone should have these things.”
It inspired her to lend a helping hand. Lacrouts created a GoFundMe titled “Essentials for the Homeless” that has raised more than $300, her end goal being to put together about 50 tote bags that each include several essential items, including food (a sandwich and granola bars, chips and fruit), reusable water bottles, a fleece blanket, pair of socks, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, band aids, tissue, peppermints and a folding brush with mirror. Totes made for women will include pads, tampons and feminine wipes, and for some with pets, toys and treats for dogs.
Her goal is to raise $1,000. She estimated each tote full of supplies should cost approximately $18 to make.
She’s been encouraged by those who have already reached out to help.
“It’s been really cool to see how many people are sharing (the GoFundMe) page on Facebook and how many have donated already. They don’t have to, but they chose to,” Lacrouts said.
She’s always had a soft spot in her heart and a desire to help others. She is a second grade paraeducator at New Sarpy Elementary School, where her focus is in helping students hard of hearing, deaf and blind. She also has a particular affinity for animals — the homeless woman in the news report having a pet dog, she said, was part of what spurred her to action.
“She had such a bond with her dog that she was not willing to break,” Lacrouts said. “It just got me.
“I guess it’s a motherly instinct,” she added. “I’m super-inclined to help people who may not be able to help themselves. A lot of people get stuck in a situation and have trouble getting out of it.”
She added some of her own childhood experiences have lent to that instinct.
“I was bullied back in high school, and I feel like a lot of (her desire to help) came from that,” Lacrouts said. “I think once I gained confidence in myself, I realized I have worth and these other people (in need) have worth just like I do.”
She’s picked out the items online and has them ready for checkout once she approaches her fundraising goal.
“I’m gonna keep going until we get there,” she said. “It’s important that we recognize the homeless as more than just that.”
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