Jorge Hernandez does the unthinkable.
The Victor Valley philanthropist has been in and out of homelessness for three years. Even now, as he spearheads his own nonprofit, he lays his head on the leather of his Chevrolet Cobalt for the night before waking and tackling the outreach tasks of the new day.
He says he is the only individual or organization helping the homeless population on Bear Valley Road, and that he’s not afraid to go directly into the encampments to ask what the communities need. There are 60 to 200 unhoused persons in Victorville between Bear Valley and Amargosa Roads, he says. They all know him by name and most have his personal number.
Hernandez, 52, provides free food daily to individuals in the encampments behind Food4Less, Home Depot, El Supper and Cottonwood from the earnings he makes as a part-time landscaper and part-time security officer. Once a month, he organizes a larger event with free clothes and toiletry giveaways.
He recently purchased four gifts for 79 children each this past Christmas, all out of his part-time earnings.
He also repurposed 100 blankets and pillows for the homeless community on Bear Valley Road during the first week of January.
Hernandez has since turned his good work into a registered nonprofit, dubbed Triple J Saves Community Help. His goal for the organization is to one day afford a piece of desert land, on which he hopes to construct a small homeless shelter.
Most of the homeless community Hernandez interacts with tells him the Victorville Wellness Center is difficult to get into. Waiting periods range from 90 days to six months, and by that time, he says, it may be too late.
“There is very little help for the homeless up here,” Hernandez said after telling a story about one homeless individual named Shannon, who he recently found dead on an abandoned couch in the middle of the desert.
For High Desert residents interested in helping Hernandez in his mission to take care of the Victor Valley homeless, contact him directly at 442-294-2033.
The good work isn’t limited to goods
Before relocating to the High Desert, Hernandez worked as a homeless case manager on Skid Row in Los Angeles. He says being involved in this sector is the only thing he knows and is passionate about.
When the tides turned on him and his children in 2023 in Lancaster, Hernandez says the community took them in, feeding and clothing them.
“Never did I think I would be on the other side of the coin,” he told the Daily Press. From then on, he created his own Facebook community group geared toward buying food and clothes for families in need.
He thinks part of the reason why he’s so successful with his outreach is that he’s lived, and is currently living, the same harsh conditions of many of those whom he serves.
Also part of the good work Triple J Saves Community Help does is free landscaping for elderly, handicapped and veteran community members.
What started as a way to assist his elderly mom has since blossomed into a community blessing.
For every three landscaping jobs Hernandez secures, he has vowed to service a community member’s yard completely for free. That includes mowing, edging, blowing, trimming and cleanup. Contact Hernandez directly if you or anyone you know needs lawn maintenance free of charge.
Additionally, he and his son Jorge Jr. take struggling families who are either homeless, living in a motel or RV to Chuck E. Cheese when funds allow, “so the kids can have a day free of worries for a change.” Parents aren’t the only family members who endure stress when living situations are unstable, he says.
Upcoming events
Next on the Triple J list is an Easter basket giveaway for homeless or low-income families. Last Easter, Hernandez bought and put together 150 baskets for the community.
“If you’re homeless, you’re consumed with thoughts of survival,” he told the Daily Press. “You are worried about your next meal and the next place to rest. Holiday treats are a luxury, and they’re the last thing on a struggling parent’s mind.”
The nonprofit will also do a free backpack giveaway when school resumes after the summer. Until then, he has partnered with Apple Valley resident Merissa Summers, owner of Merissa’s Table, the free community food pantry.
Together, Merissa feeds those in need, and Hernandez clothes them.
Follow Hernandez’s good work on Facebook at TRIPLE J SAVES COMMUNITY HELP INC.
McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Homeless Victor Valley man uses nonprofit to take care of others struggling
Reporting by McKenna Mobley, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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