Founder Kendall Josey and students from the University of Central Florida led an annual, downtown Orlando program known Valentines for the Homeless, where food, water and personal care items are packaged to benefit the local community on the holiday.
Hundreds of small packages filled bags and boxes and also served as a learning opportunity for those who participated. Often the homeless are forgotten on holidays that aren’t Thanksgiving and Christmas, still in need of personal care items, clothing and appreciation, Josey points out. The homeless and hungry spend their days idle around the park and streets, surprised that students chose to spend the holiday helping their peers.
Below are a few snapshots of the program that took place at Lake Eola Park and in the central business district of downtown Orlando.
