DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MISSING? THE HOMELESS CAN NOW RECONNECT WITH FAMILY THROUGH ONLINE MOVEMENT

FOUNDER SAMUEL JOHNS

Founder of Forget Me Not Ak, Samuel Johns introduces himself as a simple man who just wants to give back. He says there are many ordinary people who are capable of making a powerful impact in this world, he holds himself as an example, having been a carpenter.

Johns, an Alaskan, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, USA, says in the winter, the temperatures in parts of Alaska can easily drop to minus 20 or lower and the resultant cold coupled with darkness and serious snowing can be deadly for the homeless person. Johns is aware of all the dangers lurking out there as he has seen most of it firsthand happening to so many and feeling a burden he decided to take action on his feelings.

He says that motivated him to start ForgetMeNotAK.org, a Facebook group page which helps to get the homeless reconnected with their families. The initiative six months after its creation garnered over 16,500 members building a network of people who aim to do good things for those who need assistance.

The group enables people who want to help the homeless find their families the means to do so online by way of internet. Another assistance offered by the group is the provision of clothes, food and other resources to the homeless. The group helps by putting photo and other details of the homeless person if accepted on its Facebook page and when anyone states he/she knows the person, the group makes a reunion and return home possible. Johns says many have been so returned home and even when a return is not possible the group meets and encourages such persons and lets them know that they are still loved

 

Johns talks of his difficult past and says he found his bearing through music, from his own struggle, which was with alcohol. He says music helped him get sober and he has been so for the past eight years. He states that he also has his eyes set on becoming a musician blending hip hop with his native Athabascan roots.

He already uses music to get to the people, such as in his contribution as a volunteer to Bean’s Café, a nonprofit organization which has feed the homeless in Anchorage since 1979. Johns plays the drums and sings in his native Alaskan language at their events and invites others to dance and sing along.

He says "it brings people back to their roots, to when they were young. It's like bringing them back to their true identity," and he believes performing music makes people feel really good and adds “that's what I like to do when I'm down here."