(LEX 18) — Teavon Banks knows what it's like to be without a home. Now the 20-year-old is using that experience to help others facing the same struggle.
This weekend's falling temperatures put the area's homeless population at risk, but Banks has made it his mission to provide food, clothing, and hope to those who need it most.
"I'm doing what God told me to do. This is my passion," Banks said.
For most people his age, philanthropy isn't at the top of their to-do list. But Banks feels called to give back to the homeless community through food and clothing donations.
"Everybody needs to help each other, especially when they don't have their families in their life," he said.
Banks' mission is deeply personal. In 2023, he and his family were evicted from their home and had to bounce between the homes of friends and family.
"When we was homeless, I was down, I had no hope. But I still have family and friends giving me hope and I started getting better," Banks said.
Now it's his time to be that light for others, but Banks isn't doing it alone. Groups like First Christian Church in Paris are donating.
After he picks everything up, he drives around Lexington, looking for people who could use an extra layer of clothing, a bite to eat, or just someone to talk to.
Banks understands the challenges homeless individuals face, including the difficulty of asking for help.
"That was my biggest problem," he said. "I was afraid to ask for help."
He wants people with homes to understand what those without shelter experience daily.
"A lot of people that do have houses and clothing, they don't realize the circumstances of being cold, having to stay outside, having to stay under a bridge in a tent," Banks said.
Through his work, Banks has learned a simple but powerful lesson: "Just be nice. Be nice to everyone."
His advice for making the most of every opportunity reflects his determination to help others.
"Whenever God gives you the opportunity and he wakes you up, just go as hard as you can, go like it's your last day, cause that's just the way of life," Banks said.
