LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — In a matter of weeks, the coronavirus has become just about the only topic people are talking about and has touched almost every aspect of daily life.
Hip-hop artist and community activist Devine Carama decided to turn a situation surrounded with much uncertainty into an opportunity to show kids in the Coolavin Apartment area that they are still loved.
“Believing in Forever is a youth nonprofit. So, we're always trying to figure out how we can help families and help young people within the community,” said Carama. “So, when all the school closings happened when the supermarkets were getting raided, a lot of families in the area were complaining about just being able to get the basic needs to get through a day. So, we didn't have a lot of items on hand, but we're taking what we do have, and we're just going to try to help the families out in the neighborhood.”
For the rest of the week, Carama is committed to delivering 30-40 crates of practical and entertaining items to families’ front doors. The crates include a gallon of water, canned goods, bar soap, dish soap, a composition notebook, a kids book, sunglasses and a fanny pack. At the door, he will also ask families if they need any diapers as he has a small stash to share with those who need them.
Believing in Forever is all about helping the community but Carama explained the virus is impacting his work in a way not many of his projects do.
“I think for me it just it's making me more founded and my purpose which is service, which is mentoring and in these times it's not about politics," Carama said. "It's not about race, religion, anything is just about people. What I'm finding is now people are having to rely on each other so we're having to put all those things aside that divide us, and now we're going to have to come together and I think that's just kind of motivated me more in my purpose on what we do.”
If you would like to help Carama on his mission to bring essentials and smiles to kids in Lexington, email him at BelievingInForever@gmail.com or send donations to him directly on Venmo at BelievingInForever or on Cash App at $BelievingInForever.
