California girl raises money to help Chicago’s homeless during severe cold

When an 11-year-year-old girl in suburban Los Angeles learned Monday how cold it would be this week for homeless people in Chicago, she decided to do something about it.

After watching a newscast about the impending cold snap, Khloe Thompson created a GoFundMe page seeking donations for the local Salvation Army, a nonprofit group whose mission includes getting Chicago’s most vulnerable to a warm place this week.

“I just want to let them know that people really do care about them,” she said Wednesday during a phone call with the Sun-Times.

Khloe is no rookie. She founded the nonprofit Khloe Kares. One of her main goals is to deliver toiletries and blankets to homeless people in Los Angeles. The essential goods are stuffed into cloth bags that Khloe sews herself.

“It makes me feel good as a mom knowing that my kid cares about people who are less fortunate,” said Alisha Thompson, Khloe’s mother, who works as a hairdresser.

As of late Wednesday, the GoFundMe account had raised more than $1,500.

“Wow, I think that is absolutely phenomenal,” said Nancy Powers, a Salvation Army director. “And it takes a little child to lead us. That is amazing. I think she is one fabulous little kid who has a great future.”

RELATED

• City’s largest shelter breaks protocol, takes in 800 overnight

• Checking on homeless as subzero temps loom: ‘They like that we just show up’

• Get used to polar vortex outbreaks, scientists say