Housing and rental prices are on the rise, forcing some families to move into motels, along with their children. But local tattoo artists are looking to help these kids.
Kids who grow up in environments around motels have a tougher time getting things like clothing, blankets, and especially toys, and that's exactly what tattoo artist Jake Griffin thought when he came up with the idea for this donation drive.
“I was at a stoplight downtown adjacent to the motels and I saw some kids playing, and that just made me think what kind of holiday they have and what kind of life they have?" said Griffin.
It was that thought that sparked the idea to give back, and being a local tattoo artist with a tie to both his community and other shops around town, Griffin got to work. Bringing on aces, lasting dose, evolution and wolf city tattoo parlors to assist in his mission.
"We are a large community, but we are also a tight knit community, so when something like this comes up, I mean, who could say no? Who wouldn't want to help?" said Mike Curatello, Owner of Lasting Dose Tattoo.
As we have reported, the price for just about everything has taken a massive jump, and that includes housing, forcing some families and children into motels.
“People are getting pushed out of their house and they cant afford to move into another house, it's hard right now to move anywhere. On top of that, a lot of the weekly motels are getting demolished for gentrification, and so it's even harder," said Griffin.
“The kids are the hardest part of the whole situation, I mean they are innocents in this, they don't have any control over it, they are just a product of their upbringing," said Curatello.
Griffin is asking for donations for everything from backpacks to socks to small toys for the kiddos aged 4-12. Each donation earns you a raffle ticket that can get you prizes, like a $500 gift certificate for a tattoo! The response so far from the community so far? Outstanding.
“My apartment looks like KB toy store right now, it's insane, it's overwhelming....it's going to make me cry just thinking about how much people have given,” said Griffin.
This drive goes on until this Sunday the 21st. You can drop off donations or purchase a raffle ticket at aces, lasting dose, evolution or wolf city tattoo. Then, griffin will be driving out to local motels with a U-Haul full of goodies to distribute to children living there.
