Hurricane Irma took everything from Julio Melendez, except his truck. Now, that truck has become his home, but thanks to his generosity it has also become a saving grace to victims all over his area.
Vane Lozano, a worker with Friends For Global Change, posted photos of her encounter with Julio on Facebook. She had approached him, offering him an air mattress, but she wasn’t expecting what he did next. “God blessed me with a truck,” he said, refusing the gift. “I already have a lot. I have so much thanks to God.”
Julio spends his time making runs for others, gathering water, ice, and food for those who have no transportation. “There are so many people who don’t have transportation and they can’t come and get water,” he explained, “so I come to get them what they need.”
Before the hurricane struck, Julio had worked in landscaping, so Lozano has posted on Facebook asking someone to give him a job, and Friends For Global Change are seeking to reward his charity by fundraising money to buy him a new mobile home. Their GoFundMe page raised nearly half of their $50,000 goal in only two days.
As so many band together to bring relief to these victims, Julio has given more than most because he has taken the little he has left and shared it with others in need.
And today we celebrate...