Help yourself by helping others

Help yourself by helping others

Out of the hundreds of podcast interviews I’ve conducted over the years, there are about five that stand out as exceptionally inspiring stories of overcoming adversity.

And this week, I’m re-airing one of them: the story of Joseph Bradford III.

Joseph grew up in and out of Kansas City homeless shelters.

He was mentored by a drug dealer, until that drug dealer was murdered, and then he fled to Los Angeles to find normalcy.

Late one night, Joseph was leaving a Denny’s with his doggy bag, and he gave it to a homeless person.

That moment caused him to reflect back on his homeless days, and how he would’ve preferred a full meal, not scraps from someone else’s plate.

So he felt called to venture out during weeknights to buy and deliver whole meals to any homeless people that he would see.

Then he discovered that 7-11 discarded their perishable food items at midnight, so Joseph began going around to all of the 7-11s in his area to retrieve the food—even out of their trash bin if necessary.

In time, his random acts of kindness turned into a non-profit mission called B.A.R.E. Truth.

Now, Joseph leads a group of volunteers each Sunday on Skid Row in Los Angeles to distribute supplies to the unhoused population.

And he’s even started a housing project to help people transition from living on the street.

His story is incredibly inspiring and it’s a testament to the difference that one person can make—even when working a full-time day job and being a new parent.

So if you’re out getting in your steps, straightening up, or working out, give this episode a listen (or you can watch it here).

And as always, thanks for tuning in!

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You can watch this episode on YouTube.