KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Dominiquie Terry says his mom saw his giving spirit when he offered change to a homeless man when he was 12 years old. Four years later, he sold his Xbox to raise money for the homeless.
Terry is continuing his work with his own non-profit Terry's Giveback Organization, which has been helping hundreds of people in Knoxville since 2018.
His next event is Saturday, offering breakfast and a clean up effort under the Broadway bridge. Terry said the idea came from his mom, who thought a clean up event in the area might help with the stigma of uncleanliness around people who are homeless.
"There's a lot of trash in the area and they don't have anywhere to put it," Terry said. "I went down there [Broadway bridge] last week and talked to them, gave them flyers and let them know and they were pretty excited."
Terry said anyone who fills up a trash bag will receive $5 to $10.
He is also hosting a free dinner to thank the community for their support on Saturday. The dinner will be at the City of Knoxville Operations Center, at 3131 Morris Ave. Food, music and drinks will be provided.
Terry says he's trying to raise money for even bigger plans.
"What I'm trying to do right now is get a van," he said. "I could pick up a group every other Saturday take them out to eat, get hair cuts, go to Goodwill to grab an outfit and just have a fun day with them."
Terry says they're always looking for donations. You can reach the organization through their Facebook page, to offer clothing, shoes, food or money.