Meet the Big Homies

Feed the Homies was born from lived experience.

I grew up in a lower-income family where my grandmother worked tirelessly to make sure my family and I had what we needed. She taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and what it means to keep going — even when the odds are stacked against you. She also taught me sarcasm, which, depending on who you ask, may be her greatest legacy.

But there were things people couldn't see.

There were nights I prepared for school by candlelight. There were times when the meal I received through the Henry County school system was the only meal I had that day. Last graduating class of Henry County High School, by the way. Shout out to the class of 2015 (;

And somehow, I still showed up to school.

No one necessarily knew what was happening behind the scenes. I didn't always have the words to explain it either.

But those experiences stayed with me.

Years later, I experienced the loss of my brother while he battled mental illness, addiction, and poverty. Losing him changed something in me... It had to be me. I had to be the person that made the difference in my community and, I dare say, the world.

It also made me realize just how many people are carrying battles that aren't visible from the outside — and how easily those people can fall through the cracks, just like Akeem did.

I began to understand that struggling doesn't always look the way we expect it to.

Sometimes, it's the person who made it to work that morning and only had enough money in their account to do just that.

Sometimes, it's the student sitting quietly in class who doesn't know where their next meal is coming from.

Sometimes, it's the family doing everything they can to stay afloat while nobody realizes they're barely keeping their heads above water.

Feed the Homies was created for those people.

For the people whose struggles aren't always seen.
For the people who need support without judgment.
For the people who are trying to make it through another day — and for the people who are ready to build something better.

Because I've been there.

And I know what it means to need someone to see you.

Be good to yourself — I love you!

— Kiy
Founder + CEO, Feed the Homies