CHICAGO — A young Chicago philanthropist is continuing his mission of giving to help the homeless.
The gesture is nothing new, because Jahkil Jackson has been doing this since he was 8-years-old.
“I actually got up at 6 in the morning to get this ready so that kind of shows how committed I am to this, and how much I want to make a difference,” Jackson said.
It was an early morning state for Jackson and his “Project I Am” organization, with help from friends and volunteers from Kansas City.
The goal for the day: making 500 Blessing Bags full of toiletries for the homeless.
At 16, Jackson is continuing the make a difference in the community, this time partnering up with the “ShowerUp” project to make sure the homeless can feel clean.
“I think I got my motivation when I was 5-year-old when I went to go feed the homeless, it’s when I got really inspired to do this. Ever since then, I just stuck with it. I’m really passionate about it, no matter what time of the day it is,” Jackson said.
He’s using almost every minute of the day to help those in need. In fact, this year alone, he has a goal of helping 65,000 people who are in need.
A big target, but Jackson has already accomplished a lot, including being named a CNN Hero, as well as being honored by former President Barack Obama.
“In 2017, he named me one of the Most Influential People. Then later, I got to meet him. He requested I come to a reception where I got to meet him. That was probably one of the best days of my life,” Jackson said.
He’s go on to write books and was even featured in a Marvel comic. He has a host of supporters who have helped him along the way.
But this is not the end for Jackson. He plans on finishing up at Curie High School and going on to Howard University. And as he’s receiving his education, he’ll continue giving back and inspiring others.
