In 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas. We could not sit by and do nothing. We knew there were going to be organizations helping but we wanted in on the action. We wanted to make sure the items were getting directly to the people, something you don’t necessarily get to see when donating to bigger organizations.
We decided to load a van with hygiene products, clothing, diapers, water, food, etc. and drive directly into Houston to ensure the items were received directly by the people in need. The feeling we got from this trip changed us forever. We drove 30 hours nonstop each way with our friend Melissa, feared running out of gas, or getting lost and faced many obstacles along the way. Despite all of that, once we reached Houston and saw the faces of those helping us unload our van, we knew we found our purpose.
After our Texas trip, we started funding giveaways out of pocket. We were able to help some single moms with groceries and another at Christmas time. Quickly realizing that we could not afford to help as many people as our hearts wanted to alone, we decided to start 100 People Project on January 2, 2018.
The original goal was to help 100 people a year. We thought this was a realistic task for two girls starting out with a dream but not a lot of experience. We soon came to realize that we were inspiring people and people wanted to get involved.
Our very first official 100 People Project event helped 350 local homeless men in Miami and just like that, our goal increased. By the end of our first year we were able to help make a positive impact on 700+ people’s lives…and we are just getting started!