Hayes Helping Hands feeds body and soul
Someone once said, "Homeless is a situation, not a person.” People who are homeless are often labeled by their circumstances rather than being seen as human, but not in the eyes of Eric Hayes.
"My thing is seeing the unseen and loving the unloved. I love people,” he says, and he shows it in word and deed.
Through his own motivation, his kind heart and giving soul, Hayes dedicates his time, money and resources to making sure the unhoused in our community can enjoy a hot, nutritious meal – homecooked and served from the back of his Buick Roadmaster station wagon. The tailgate goes down and the table is set.
He doesn’t just park in one spot and wait for folks to come to him. He goes to where they are into some of the deepest encampments where others may fear to go.
"I’ve never had a problem or felt like I was threatened because I’m giving. I’m not in there trying to take. I can’t solve their problems, but I can help them out. Everybody out there is not on drugs; it’s bad circumstances,” he said.
Hayes instantly puts them at ease and shows them that he is their friend, and truly so because he is there to be a warm light for them. This approach comes naturally for Hayes because that’s how he is with everybody – open and personable no matter who you are.
"I crack a little joke now and then to get them laughing and whatever I can to just ease their mind for a minute,” he said.
Hayes prepares his home-cooked meals to remind them of their mother or grandmother, to bring them some sort of comfort they may be familiar with. For those who perhaps haven’t been blessed by this family experience, Hayes can be their own loving grandpa who comes by to make sure they’re okay even just for that moment.
Once he’s parked and ready to start serving, Hayes lifts the lids from two of his roasters with freshly prepared chickens or turkeys inside, steam rising and mingling with the same coming from side dishes of beans, vegetables and rice.
"In about an hour, hour and a half, I will empty two roasters, 40 pounds of rice, all my vegetables – everything is gone,” he said. "The maximum I normally have done is 150 people. At the end of day, I never ever come home with food.”
Hayes likes to do his outings solo to protect the relationships he has built with his unhoused friends and to make sure no one holds him back from keeping to his schedule.
"I am a one-team wonder,” as he puts it. "There are people who say they’d like to go with me, but I like to leave my house at 10:00 if I’m going to serve and if they’re not here, I gotta go. I don’t want my food to get cold or lukewarm. I want to serve it hot. When I open my pots up, I want steam to come off my food.”
He puts together hygiene packs for them as well.
"I go to Walmart and buy a case of wipes which is $15. I break them down to 10-15 wipes per sandwich bag to get them through for a couple days.”
When asked why he gives so generously, Hayes chokes up a little when he thinks of his minister father and wise, tenderhearted mom.
"Out of her back door, she would feed the community. I would say mom, we don’t have nothing so how are you giving them something? She always would say, ‘God will make a way.’”
He said he didn’t understand it at the time since he was just a child, but now his mom’s selfless acts inspire him to keep her spirit close to share with others. He told of how a holy spirit works in his own life to this day.
"Literally there were times when I didn’t have seasoning or a protein for my meals and I said as soon as I can’t do this anymore, I’m going to give up. Then my phone will literally ding after I tell myself that. Somebody would donate me $50. They would say it’s not much, this is what I have, but it goes a long way if you know what to use it for.”
Hayes expressed much gratitude for donors who help him, especially his business customers. Hayes works on high-end automobiles in metal polishing to make chrome look new again.
"When my car guys donate food, they donate hams and turkeys and I cook those in my roasters. I go out and collect the food from the community. I have a really good customer in Magnolia who donates – he bought me three freezers and gave me money to fill it so I could keep going.”
The Adventist Community Services food bank on Portland Avenue gives to him as well thanks to its volunteer coordinator Lori Caley-Thorne and director Leslie Bagdley, who Hayes has known since he was 19 years old.
One day, Hayes was on 56th Street off South Tacoma Way and a man told him he needed pants so Hayes purchased a pair in the man’s size.
"I came back and he was with everybody in their little community. He said, ‘Don’t leave yet. We got something for you.’ Everybody there signed a nice card and put bow on it, and they gave it to me. They said, ‘We thank you so much. God bless you.’ I said no, God bless us.”
Hayes is a living example of how simply extending a hand and a smile can have profound impacts on people who are struggling in life.
"I talk to them and show them some dignity. I tell everybody I love them and say, ‘How you doing, my brother?’ or ‘How you doing, my sister? Are you going to eat with me today?’”
Get in touch with Hayes at hayeshelpinghands@gmail.com.