*The heartbreaking story of Charles Gladden, a Washington, D.C., resident who works as a custodian in the Dirksen Senate Office by day and sleeps on the city streets at night, brought national attention to the plight of low-income workers…and caught the eye of Boyz II Men singer Nathan Morris.
After news broke about Gladden being homeless, Morris, on Saturday, launched an online crowdfunding campaign to find Gladden a place to live. The campaign’s goal is $20,000, toward which the singer will donate $10,000.
Gladden, who makes $11 an hour sweeping floors and cleaning bathrooms in the Senate building, says he spends much of his wages helping his daughters and grandchildren, who also struggle economically. His efforts to help his family, compounded by chronic health problems, have left Gladden unable to afford housing.
Gladden first spoke with the Washington Post about his housing situation after choosing to join other Senate staff members on a one-day strike to protest low-wages and difficult working conditions. The protesters, part of the national Fight for $15 movement, are requesting that President Obama support the demands for a living wage for all workers.
“I work for the most powerful people in the country and there I am sleeping at a subway stop,” Gladden told CNN.
After hearing Gladden’s story, Morris took action. “As many of you know I’m not a big social media guy due to the constant championing of negative and even sometimes evil content shared, but this story really touched my heart and is a [perfect] example of how we can easily lose sight of what really matters in life,” Morris wrote on the campaign’s “Go Fund Me” page.
By midday Monday, the campaign had raised more than $7,300 from more than 130 people through the crowd-funding site.
View a CNN report on Gladden here.
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