Just when I start to feel kinda good about myself and think that I'm actually doing some things to help my community, this young man comes along and shows me what it looks like to REALLY make a difference. I (jokingly) want to be mad at him, but instead, I just respect and admire the crap out of him.

Ryan Depp is from Bowling Green, Kentucky, and for the past four years, this teenager has spent his weekends and even some holidays feeding the homeless in his community. He even has his own organization, called Ryan’s Making A Difference Outreach, which he started when he was just 13 years old. Can you think of one important thing you did as a 13-year-old? I sure can't. I think I was 13 when I French kissed a girl for the first time, and that certainly did NOT help her or my community. Even now, as a grown-donkey man, I enjoy not doing anything on the weekends - and yet, here is young Ryan, out there every weekend, feeding people, forming relationships, and changing lives. When asked why he does what he does, Ryan said “We’re all human and you know, whenever the world’s dark, you need some light in it. It’s just important to do whatever you can to help those in need because in the end, we are all going to the same place, so it is important to do what you can with the life that you have.” Pretty profound words from a 17-year-old boy (young man).

How did Ryan spend his Thanksgiving break? You guessed it, feeding those in need. He partnered with a local food truck - they set up in a parking lot and started handing out free meals to anyone in need.

For Ryan, it's become more than just feeding strangers - he's been doing this for so long that he is forming real relationships with the people he helps. He says “They’re basically my family now, a lot of these people. I’ve known them for so long now and I’ve heard all their stories. It really just brings your heart out when you start to hear it. So you just start to see these people like they are your own.”

If you would like to make a donation to Ryan's Making a Difference Outreach, you send money through the app Venmo to @Ryans-Outreach or you can send a message to his official Facebook page.

[Thanks to WNKY for sharing this story.]

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