Helping the Houseless: senior Jordan Johnston has started up his own teen volunteering group

“Jordan, we know it’s Christmas, but do you want to come with us?”

Finishing up the last of his stuffing, then-freshman Jordan Johnston knew what his parents were asking. It was their weekly tradition to pass out supplies — from tents to food to clorox wipes— at homeless camps downtown.

But it was Christmas, so Jordan paused. He couldn’t wait to play with his new Apple Homepod and he was exhausted from celebrating with his six cousins. But then he thought of huge smiles he’d see on the houseless people’s faces when they got a home-cooked meal and the hug he would get from his friend Jose — one of the houseless people who Jordan had connected with. The answer was easy.

“Of course.”

Jordan knew he’d made the right decision the second he arrived and his eyes landed on Jose’s toothy grin and eye wrinkles. He received the big bear hug he longed for and couldn’t help but smile. It was his favorite time of the year.

“I just like being able to help people,” Jordan said. “It makes me feel proud. It gives me serotonin. Because I am making a difference. It may not be a big difference, but I’m still trying to do something good for the world.”

Jordan didn’t stop his volunteering there — he went again four days later. Since then, it’s become his Friday night routine with his parents. Get home from school. Pack Ziplock bags with beans, toothpaste, and toilet paper. Load the car and drive downtown, where they’ll pass out bags until 11 p.m. Even during holidays. 

It’s a routine he now wants to share with others.

This summer, Jordan plans to start his own teen group inspired by his own parents’ volunteering— driving downtown with supplies and delivering them to houseless people. The idea to start one was always in the back of his mind, and after two years of planning, he feels ready to start it. 

“I just can’t wait to share what I love with people,” Jordan said. 

Jordan first began volunteering in eighth grade when his stepmom discovered Soup Home KC — a local organization that donates supplies to the homeless. In 2020, his parents decided to give back to the houseless on their own terms, so they created their own service group called “Camp Service.” It started with only 10 people from the Prairie Village Area, but has now expanded to 93 who Jordan goes out with every Friday night — instead of going to football games or parties. 

Camp Service is what Jordan hopes to model his own organization after. Similar to his parents, Jordan plans to fund his charity group with donations. He wants to set up Amazon wishlists and Target registries so people can purchase items and ship them to him. All the money he receives will go toward buying more supplies and recruiting more people. He’s currently in the process of creating spreadsheets of the supplies he’ll need and planning their first trip, although he hasn’t chosen a name yet.

Jordan recognizes that volunteering at houseless camps can sometimes be scary. When Jordan first started driving out to donate supplies, a houseless woman on drugs grilled him with frantic questions, getting angrier and angrier — and Jordan didn’t get what she was saying. He had a panic attack and ran back to his car. 

More recently, he watched his dad get punched while trying to break up a fight between two houseless people. Another time, he spent an hour walking through a forest at 9 p.m. trying to find a houseless camp with his parents. He still sees people strung out on drugs and alcohol everytime he goes out to volunteer. 

But while Jordan recognizes the danger, it’s all worth it to him — and can be for others — because seeing the houseless people has made him more grateful for his own life. As an East student, Jordan notices other teens complaining about not having the new iPhone, having to complete Xello or still having soccer practice when it’s raining. He believes that seeing people who barely have the chance to shower and feel lucky to own four T-shirts would give them a new appreciation for what they have. After all, that’s what happened to him.

“Before I started doing this, I never realized how blessed I was,” Jordan said. “I have a nice car, a roof over my house. I have clothes on my back, I have food in my belly. And those people don’t. People tend to be materialistic, but seeing them gives you a new appreciation.” 

Jordan’s friend, junior Charlie Kitten, isn’t surprised that Jordan wants to start a volunteer group, and plans on participating. Charlie’s always known Jordan to be caring. It’s not uncommon for Jordan to spend half his paycheck on supplies like batteries and flashlights. Charlie believes Jordan’s compassionate mindset will help inspire others to give back to their community, and can’t wait to see what his group accomplishes. 

“One time we were walking around on the Plaza, and we both had no money so we couldn’t buy anything,” Charlie said. “Then there was this houseless person. Jordan instantly went to an ATM and he withdrew $20 and gave it to the person. And that was almost all the money he had. That’s just who Jordan is. He cares about other people more than himself. That’s why his group is gonna be so successful.”

Jordan wasn’t sure about starting his group — he was scared about what others would think. Still, he knows it’s the right decision because he’ll get to share his passion with others. He wants to show his peers what it’s like to make a difference in their community — even if it’s small. He wants to give other teens the feeling he had that Christmas. 

“If there’s something you want to do, or something you want to achieve, you just have to go out and do it,” Jordan said. “Life is about going out and being unique and being true to yourself. I’ve always had this thought in the back of my mind telling me to go out and do what I really wanted to do. And now I’m finally making my dreams a reality.”