Raffle kicks off Christmas outreach: First place wins $2,000
Published 12:05 am Saturday, November 23, 2019
- Tremond Alvis participated in last month’s outreach with the homeless population in New Orleans. The project was coordinated by high school senior Laisha Harris.
LAPLACE — LaPlace native Tremond Alvis has big plans to feed the homeless, distribute turkeys to families in need and bless 200 children with new toys in time for Christmas.
To facilitate this effort, Alvis is selling raffle tickets for $10 each, leading up to big prizes on Thanksgiving Day. The lucky first place winner will receive $2,000 in prize money. Meanwhile, second place will win $1,000, and third place will receive a pair of red Animal Bally’s size 11.5 shoes.
Entries are being accepted until the raffle drawing takes place at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day via Facebook Live. For more information or to purchase a ticket, call Tremond Alvis at 504-266-8080 or message him through Facebook. Alvis will be selling tickets at Clay’s Café from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24.
He said all donations are welcome.
“We are fortunate,” Alvis said. “We are blessed to have a roof over our head and food in our stomachs, and not everyone is as fortunate. There are people who grew up not having as much as we do, and I just want to make their holidays special.”
Alvis has taken note of local organizations hosting turkey drives, including Blessed to Be a Blessing’s gracious 700-turkey giveaway. He hopes to continue support for families in need by offering turkeys at Christmastime.
Alvis is partnering with Steven Perrilloux of Historic Riverlands Christian Center in Reserve to conduct the Christmas toy giveaway. Time and date are to be announced.
Volunteers are welcome to assist in the feed the homeless events scheduled for Dec. 8 and 21. Alvis and a team of supporters will congregate under the Claiborne Bridge in New Orleans to serve gumbo, grilled cheese sandwiches, water, drinks and chips to people in need. According to Alvis, volunteers have reached up to 200 people in past feed the homeless events.
He recently mentored Destrehan High School senior Laisha Harris as she coordinated a similar giving back experience for her senior project.
“He was my mentor because I went to his event in LaPlace where he gave back school supplies to the kids,” Harris said. “I asked him if he could help me promote my event and get a lot of volunteers from social media.”
Harris was inspired to help the homeless because she knows what it feels like to grow up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. In September, she conducted a donation drive at Clay’s Café in LaPlace to collect hygiene products, soaps, deodorant, socks and other necessities.
Last month, she and a team of about 20 student and parent volunteers handed out 75 hygiene bags. Volunteers also fed the homeless gumbo and grilled cheese, and Harris said all were grateful for the support.
“They were really happy,” Harris said. “Some people even cried. They said they were just happy to see someone as young as me coming out there and giving back. it doesn’t take much to give back, and you shouldn’t judge the people who are homeless because it’s not an option. It’s not a choice for them. They have no other resources, and I want people to help.”
Alvis hopes to see the same great results during the December visits to Claiborne Bridge. To get involved, call 504-266-8080.
