LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — Loraine Seales walked four blocks with temperatures in the 50s to get a makeover and a hot meal.
“It made me feel different and wonderful,” Seales said.
She is one of the many homeless residents of Lakeland who were treated to a Christmas VIP experience Sunday.
“It means a lot to me, I feel very good in spirit inside,” Ralph Pearson said.
From haircuts to a 3-course meal, it was a moment Paulette Rolle-Alesnik hoped made them feel seen.
“If there’s one thing our 40-something volunteers do, it might be a touch, it might be the lipstick, it might just be the way they put that food on the table, remind them of where they were before they became homeless,” she said.
She said it’s more than just an event; she hopes to spark change.
“It’s their choice,” she said. “It’s because they’ve given up.”
“They’re at the bottom of the barrel and they don’t want to move,” she continued. “We do events like this so they can remember and be reminded there’s some people out there to help you and there’s a better way.”
Their parting advice? This is something you can do every day.
If you see someone on the side of the street, just say hello.
Ask them their name, and notice what they’re wearing.
Just let them know they’re seen in this world.
