Saturdays for Shannon Smith are all about community.
"Love, unity and community. That’s my slogan," Smith said.
For over seven months, Smith has been feeding the homeless every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the corner of Northern and Abriendo in Pueblo. She calls it "Breakfast in Bessemer."
"Are you hungry? Come and eat," she shouts to people walking down the street. "The homeless community around here knows who I am, and usually, they’re just waiting here for me."
"Makes the day worth looking forward to," said Benjamin Trevizo, who is homeless. "Feels good to wake up knowing that people are out here who care."
"I’ll eat the warm thing and keep the other things for the people out here," said David Sanchez who is also homeless.
Smith was once homeless, too, sleeping in parks and in basements. A former drug addict, she says she's now been clean for four years.
"I was a meth attic for 26 years," said Smith.
She said it was by the grace of God she did not die.
Now she uses the money she earns from cleaning houses and some help from a local ministry to be an example of hope.
"There’s a lot of these people I used to party with," she said. "If you knew how bad I was, you would know you could [recover], too. I have a roof over my head, I have a husband, I have all my kids in my life, I have my grandchild, I have a job, and I have Breakfast in Bessemer. I’m doing good."
Doing good and multiplying good. That's why she's the latest winner of the News5 Jefferson Award.
If you or someone you know is doing great things to help others in our community, we want to hear about it.
Click here to nominate someone for the News 5 Jefferson Award.
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