On March 25, in a news story, Adrienne Broaddus said some people deliver food but she chooses to deliver stories of hope.
Since then, viewers have sent emails, Facebook and Twitter messages asking where they can purchase the hoodie she wears with the slogan, "Neighborhood Hope Dealer."
But first, Broaddus wanted people to know the story behind the Neighborhood Hope Dealer movement. It starts with Dr. Courthney Russell. He is an entrepreneur who says he has a medical degree from Windsor University School of Medicine.
Russell believes changing how we live is hope, and that is more infectious than the virus.
"Once you are infected with hope your mindset starts to change," he said.
The change for Dr. Russell happened in 2014.
"I felt like I wanted to be more than medicine. I felt like individuals I wanted to serve were not being served by coming to me. I needed to go to them," he said. "They deserve greatness. And the only way I could do that was through entrepreneurship. To me entrepreneurship is synonymous with freedom."
He said he started selling hoodies with the slogan Neighborhood Hope Dealer and other apparel six years ago. Proceeds from the sales help purchase medical supplies for people who do not have access to healthcare. His nonprofit runs a mobile primary medical clinic based in Atlanta, Georgia.
"We created a for profit to fund our nonprofit, which does the medical side of things. It offers primary care, ambulatory services and healthcare to the noninsured, underinsured and vulnerable," Russell said. "I don’t like to say it’s a homeless clinic. It’s for the vulnerable and at risk."
While studying to become Dr. Russell he was at risk. He found himself couch hopping and trying to stay above water.
"When I was living in homeless and in poverty, medicine gave me hope, hope for a life I never knew existed past those streets," he said. " I said let me be a neighborhood hope dealer and deal with the same passion and ferocity someone on street corner would have."
Russell said COVID-19 has delivered some unexpected surprises. Showing him his work is necessary and needed now more than ever.
"COVID-19 is a horrible thing but what is has given me is time to slow down and think about how I can revision and deliver hope," he said.
To learn more about his nonprofit and where you can find the Neighborhood Hope Dealer apparel visit https://www.weup.org/