After spending years living on the streets, one kind man decided to use his restaurant to help show the homeless that they are loved and that they matter.

Derrick Walton lived on the streets of Detroit for years after having a difficult childhood, and at times he felt like he was completely alone, and that no one cared about him.

“To be homeless, you feel all alone. You feel no one cares, and you have something on the inside of you that says, well, this is my fault. I’m here, so why should they care. But, I grew to learn that, that’s not necessarily true. We still should care for other people, even if they make poor choices and decisions because, they matter. I mattered at the time. Just because I was in a bad situation in my life, it doesn’t mean I didn’t matter. But we tend to think that we don’t matter… Well I’m here to say, we do matter.”

Derrick recognizes that he had made some poor decisions in the past, as many homeless and troubled youth coming from poverty have. From using drugs, to stealing, to working as a stripper, which after a run in with police now requires him to register as a sex offender, Derrick has not had an easy life, but he believes that those choices are not the sum of all who he is. His renewed faith, as well as kind people from his church, have taught him that everyone deserves another chance, and that he is still a lovable person doing his best.

Derrick recalled one of the first people who helped change his life for the better: a restaurant manager who believed in him while he was homeless and gave him an opportunity with a job. Derrick was tired of being homeless, and though he was unable to shower and only had one pair of dirty clothes which he wore every day, he tried applying for jobs in his area.

“I went place to place for employment, and I got tons of, ‘No, no, no,’ doors closed, ‘we’ll call you,’ knowing that I don’t have a number for you to call me,” Derrick said.

Just before he was about to give up, on his 10th day of searching, he went to a Greek restaurant and met a man who would change his life forever.

“Just before I was going to give up, on that 10th day, and I’ll never forget it, I went to a Greek restaurant in downtown Detroit. I met with a gentleman, I told him, ‘Look I’ve made a lot of poor choices and decisions in my life.’ I said, ‘I’m not looking for a handout,’ I said, ‘but if you give me an opportunity or a chance, I won’t let you down. I’m a great cook.’”

The kind man quietly looked at Derrick for several minutes; clothes ragged, unshaven, having slept on the streets the night before, and after several minutes, he told Derrick that he believed in him and would give him a job. Derrick shared that he will never forget the feeling he felt in that moment; when someone believed in him.

“Well he looked at me, and it seemed like, three days, but he looked at me for like three minutes, and that gentleman told me yes, right away, and he said, ‘I believe in you,’ and he threw me an apron. And when he threw me that apron, to this day I still can’t describe the feeling that I felt, because I’ve never felt it before in my life. And umm, overwhelmed with all the emotions and all these things that one person can believe in me, when tons of people did not believe in me.”

Derrick worked hard as a cook and went on to open up his own pizza shop, Rock Power Pizza in Des Moines, Iowa. His restaurant serves delicious food, has inspirational quotes on the walls, and every Monday, he closes the shop to the public and opens it to the homeless living on the streets and in homeless shelters across Des Moines.

Derrick and volunteers organize vans and buses which transport the homeless from around Des Moines to his restaurant and back. They serve the homeless a variety of home cooked healthy meals: sandwiches, pastas, vegetables, fruit, and other various delicious meals.

Kind people from Des Moines help donate food and funds as well to the homeless for their Monday meals, and Derrick pays for the rest. He knows how important it is to, at least once a week, provide a safe space for the homeless where they can have a night out, eat a warm meal, and celebrate life together.

“Monday nights are very, very special to me,” Derrick said. “Before this place is a restaurant, it’s a ministry.”

“Monday night stands out apart because, it gives the people, that’s less fortunate in their lives right now, an opportunity to have a night out.”

“We get to go over here, fellowship, watch TV, be served, and treated like the amazing people they are.”

The homeless who come to Derrick’s restaurant on Mondays are deeply grateful.

“I’d like to thank all the people who have donated to Chef D’s for the homeless. The lord sees your good works. We can beat this thing,” one grateful guest shared.

He cares. He actually loves everybody… It’s not only the free food, but you get to meet other people,” shared another homeless guest.

For Derrick, seeing his homeless brothers and sisters realize that they aren’t alone, and that someone cares for them, brings meaning to his life.

“It takes me back every single time. When I see them coming in here, they forget about all of their circumstances and situations for the most part, and they get the fellowship here. It shows them what it showed me. People do care. I still matter. So it’s truly amazing and means a lot to me… a lot to me… Monday nights,” Derrick said.

Derrick’s truly beautiful heart has helped hundreds of homeless people realize that someone loves them, and has made sure that they never feel as alone as he once felt, when he was homeless.

Watch this interview with Derrick of him serving the homeless:

Update: Derrick did have some further issues, with being in possession of a prescription pill which he did not have a prescription for, and also for not registering in the 45 day timeframe after he had moved to a new apartment for his two decade old sex offense charges related to stripping when he was previously homeless. Our systems and institutions should offer more rehabilitation and support for kind souls, such as Derrick, rather than more punishment. Derrick’s kind heart has done so much to help hundreds upon hundreds of homeless people feel loved, feel they matter, and share a warm meal, and his story of kindness deserves to be shared, flaws and all.

After seeing a homeless man on their way to school each morning, several kind young men decided to lend him a hand.

They went up to the homeless man after school and asked him if he would like to go and get something to eat with them. He was surprised, and gratefully agreed.

“We’re taking him out to eat” one of the smiling young men shared, who was excited to be able to help the homeless man he walked by every day.

They took him out for a warm meal, and ordered him an extra meal to go.

“He’s a happy guy… Beautiful man” they shared.

After eating, the students wanted to take him shopping as well, so together they went to Walmart and bought him a basket full of clothes and daily necessities.

The homeless man tried a few of his new clothes on, and he looks great!

“Fresh dressed like a million bucks!”

Going out of our way to help a homeless person can mean more to them than we will ever know.

Many hearts online have appreciated the kindness these young men showed to a homeless man.

“So many of America’s homeless are U.S. veterans, people with job instability or persons with undertreated mental illness. Kindness goes such a long way,” shared B.C.

“It makes me so happy to see young men showing kindness to an elder, especially an elder in need,” wrote Jessica T.

“It’s the little things we take for granted that go a long way for someone else. Well done guys!” wrote S.B.W.

“You guys are amazing! Thanks to people like you, I don’t lose hope in humanity :)” commented Barbara V.

“Very kind young men. Very grateful man. It’s more than the money, food, and clothes. It’s the time and effort invested in him,” shared B. L.

The day before her adopted daughter began her first day of middle school, a kind mom taught her a profound lesson on the power of her words, using a tube of toothpaste, and a plate.

The night before Amy Beth Gardner’s daughter, Breonna, began middle school, she asked her to squeeze an entire tube of toothpaste onto a plate.

“My daughter starts middle school tomorrow,” Amy shared in a post online. “We’ve decorated her locker, bought new uniforms, even surprised her with a new backpack. But tonight just before bed, we did another pre-middle school task that is far more important than the others. I gave her a tube of toothpaste and asked her to squirt it out onto a plate. When she finished, I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back in the tube. She began exclaiming things like “But I can’t!” and “It won’t be like it was before!” I quietly waited for her to finish and then said the following:”

At a time when Breonna was just about to enter middle school, a place filled with a mix of children learning who they are while trying to fit in, Amy told her daughter just how important it is to choose her words wisely, and to always use them for compassion and kindness.

“You will remember this plate of toothpaste for the rest of your life. Your words have the power of life or death. As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry. You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to hurt, demean, slander and wound others. You are also going to have the opportunity to use your words to heal, encourage, inspire and love others. You will occasionally make the wrong choice; I can think of three times this week I have used my own words carelessly and caused harm. Just like this toothpaste, once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back. Use your words carefully, Breonna. When others are misusing their words, guard your words. Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth. Decide tonight that you are going to be a life-giver in middle school. Be known for your gentleness and compassion. Use your life to give life to a world that so desperately needs it. You will never, ever regret choosing kindness.”

Amy’s words of wisdom for her daughter have been shared online more than two million times.

“As a parent, I want Breonna to draw from my strengths and learn from my weaknesses,” Amy said.

Amy and her husband adopted Breonna and her younger sister two years earlier after having been their foster parents. Because of her girls’ difficult start in life before they met, Amy said she is careful to pay extra attention to their emotional development, and is constantly encouraging them and helping them to have and understand a great sense of self worth.

“Each morning when I go to wake Breonna up, I take a few minutes before we get busy with breakfast and rushing out the door to school to tell her how much I believe in her, how important she is to me, how valuable her life is,” Amy said. “I know that, as she becomes a pre-teen and teenager, the world is going to tell her what to believe about herself. I want her to hear my voice first each morning telling her what I see in her and how proud I am of her.”

 

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When a high school graduate found out that his girlfriend’s 14-month-old baby brother did not have a bed, he decided to build him a beautiful handmade crib.

The young man’s mom, Stacey Henderson, shared that she saw her son building a handmade crib, and that she was so proud of her son.

“My 18-year-old recently graduated from high school and is building his girlfriend‘s 14-month-old half brother a toddler bed,” Stacey wrote.

It was out of the family’s budget to buy a bed, so he had been sleeping in a pack and play, which is a temporary foldable crib.

“Her father and the baby’s mother don’t have enough money for one, so he sleeps in a pack and play.”

Stacey’s son works at a store and builds furniture, so he thought that rather than just buying a crib for the young toddler, that he would build and paint one for him himself.

“My son could have just went out and bought one, but he works all day building furniture and comes home in the evening and has been building this. The last step is painting and decorating.”

Stacey was deeply proud of her thoughtful son, and for good reason.

“I am so proud of this young man for his thoughtfulness and caring,” she said.

Thousands of hearts online have appreciated this young man’s kindness.

“Great job young man. We need more like you,” wrote Lorraine G.

“I want to see the finished piece! This is beautiful and such a sacrifice for him to make – thankful for his giving heart!” commented Sundy G.

“What a special young man. God Bless him,” wrote Lucy L.

“Speaks volumes about what a brilliant man he is, you must be proud of him, so talented,” wrote Danielle A.

“Your son is a good, kindhearted man. Thank you for raising him to be conscious of other’s struggles,” shared Jackie B.

You are Loved.

When a tired young mother was considering leaving a store to take her two crying children home, a kind woman came and helped comfort her 2-year-old, allowing her to continue shopping.

Rebecca Paterson was shopping at a target in Pearland, Texas, when her 2-year-old and 2-month-old both began crying at the same time. After noticing Rebecca preparing to leave due to her children being upset, a kind woman named Tiffany came over to help.

“Shout out to this wonderful, kind woman named Tiffany,” Rebecca shared in a ‘Moms of Pearland’ group online. “My 2 year old and 2 month old were both having a meltdown at the same time in Target. I started putting things away on the shelf and was about to leave when she came over to help.”

Tiffany helped comfort Rebecca’s 2-year-old while she cared for her 2-month-old, and she was able to continue shopping for the daily essentials she needed.

“She walked with me while I got essentials needed for the day and kept hold of my toddler while he calmed down. She saved me today moms!!! I am so sleep deprived and was running on empty. A little kindness and understanding goes a long way.”

Rebecca plans to honor Tiffany’s kindness by paying it forward and helping the next mom she sees in need of assistance.

“I’ll definitely be paying it forward if I see a poor mom in need of help. Thanks Tiffany, you’re an angel 😇” Rebecca shared.

Many hearts online have praised Tiffany’s kindness.

“So heartwarming. I love this so much ❤️” wrote Erin C.

“It takes a village. A loving, caring village,” commented Maureen L.

“Actually, you both are amazing. She for offering to help and you for accepting. Understanding that the needs of your children come first and that you needed a hand in doing it. I always hesitate to ask nowadays as everyone is so afraid… but, I always do… even if it’s to watch the empty stroller as they take their child to the stall. If they say no it won’t hurt my feelings, as I did what felt right,” shared Daryce H.

“I needed this specific reminder desperately in this very moment— good people ARE everywhere. Thank you for that ❤️” wrote Danielle M.

“Just last week at HEB a kind stranger offered to help load my groceries when he saw me and the baby in the heat. There is always someone good in the crowd. Another time a man held an umbrella over us to get into the car in the heavy rain. Neighbors come over to check if the garage door was left open or collect packages. Be the change you want to see in the world ❤️ Offer someone a little help,” wrote Jessica M.

You are Loved.

 

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