In 2003, my life changed dramatically while living in Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time trawling the streets, getting a feel for the city, and slowly started to notice its many homeless people and their misery. At first I simply walked by their large numbers, but soon I became curious to find ways to help. I sat and spoke with them, listening to their stories and buying them fast-food. However, it didn't take long to realize that this would not be sustainable. Collective action was needed. So, some friends and I started feeding a group of homeless people in weekly outings. Our efforts eventually turned into a mobile soup kitchen, feeding between 40 and 80 people several nights each week. We prepared fresh, organic lentil soup enriched with vitamin and protein powder. We bought oranges, water, soap, toothbrushes, and reading material, loaded them onto a garden cart, and then distributed, fed, and counseled the individuals that we met. This was the first humanitarian effort of what would become Heal the World.

The most valuable lesson I obtained from this experience was a sense of purpose in my life: to eradicate poverty. When I moved away from Los Angeles and its large concentration of homeless people, I began planning on how to help the greatest amount of people with the resources that were available.