Pictured: Maya Jackson, left, and her mother Kira Hoskins work together to help to those in need. Abigail Youmans | The Democrat
Abigail Youmans | The Democrat
Maya Jackson remembers looking through journals of hers from when she was young. Like any young girls’ journal, they were full of all kinds of dreams and plans.
One of the constants for Jackson were her home blueprints, which always included a room for those without a home. According to the National Alliance To End Homelessness, 5,625 people were homeless in Indiana on any given night in 2020.
Now 13-year-old Maya is working to better the lives of vulnerable populations in whatever way she can.
Back in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Maya found herself spending several months making plans with her mother Kira Hoskins about what they could do for others in need. Then the decision was made to move forward and start Maya’s Ministry.
For Kira, she said it’s definitely rewarding to see her daughter in action and work with her in this way. Helping others is a passion they both share.
“It’s something I’ve always been passionate about as well, so when she brought it up I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a great idea,’” Kira said.
By October of 2020, the work began for Maya and Kira when Maya shared a testimony at their church, Faith Full Gospel Church near Bean Blossom.
Their church and congregation members started giving donations. Before long other community churches, businesses and individuals came along to support the cause after the Maya’s Ministry Facebook page was created.
Maya’s Ministry helps anyone in need, especially vulnerable homeless populations in Bloomington.
They collect hygiene packs with essentials like toothbrushes or socks, pass out food bags and cold weather clothes, blankets, tents and tarps if they have them.
Sometimes the mother-daughter duo go to where the homeless are sleeping in various parts of the city to help them set up a camp or just talk with people.
They met one man, Travis Dugan, while out serving at the rescue where he stayed.
“He had a whole long conversation with us,” Maya said. “He was one of the only people that talked to us the first time we went out.”
Dugan shared stories about his life with the mother-daughter duo and about how he’d grown up in foster care in Brown County until he was 18. He talked about his kids and his family.
Every time they went out, Dugan was the one to introduce Maya and Kira others who were homeless.
“He would stand close and introduce us,” Kira said. “He’d say, ‘These are our friends.’”
Dugan passed away in Bedford in October last year. Maya and Kira both teared up as they remembered their friend. They both said that he helped them feel comfortable where they served.
“It makes you nervous at first when you don’t know what you’re getting into,” Kira said about starting to venture out and serve. “Travis really opened his arms and his heart to us and made us feel comfortable.”
Others have started volunteering and joining in with Maya’s Ministry. Some donate their time and others bring their friends along while they do the community service.
Maya and Kira welcome anyone to join their ministry.
There are no really set times that Maya’s Ministry goes out into the field, but they go when they have donations and time to give.
They recently made a large donation of warm weather items to Shalom Center in Bloomington and to one of its outreach members.
They passed out 30 hygiene packs last time, one per person, which was not enough for everyone.
Kira said they’re connected with Bloomington Homeless Coalition and can see when people need certain items when posted on a message board.
They’ve talked about one day maybe having a building to serve out of, but for right now, they’re seeing how it goes and are just going to “go with it” as their outreach continues.
Kira said they get a lot out of the serving experience as well, learning peoples’ stories and sharing their own.
“We go out and we can personally talk to people about recovery and addiction, and I always try to talk to people about God,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s a great conversation, sometimes they don’t want to talk about it and we leave it at that.”
Doing all of this service alongside her teen daughter is rewarding for Kira.
“She’s standing alongside me and we make these connections together,” she said.
“And I’m just really proud.”
Maya said she has always wanted to give back like this.
With her parents both in recovery from addiction, Maya said life was not always easy growing up, so she can relate to those struggling without a home to go to each night.
“I didn’t always have the best life growing up,” she said.
“I just wanted to help people understand that there are still people out there that can and want to help them.”
