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Local organization recognized for helping homeless with ID cards

Posted at 7:40 AM, Dec 11, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-12 11:04:58-05

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you ask Thomas Randle El why he does what he does, you’ll instantly feel the pureness of his heart and his desire to change lives.

“Some people they be out there so long they just don’t know how to go and ask for help,” says Randle El.

Since 1996, Randle El has been behind the wheel of Straight from the Streets, a nonprofit organization working to help homeless folk without a place to call home.

His home is his office where he works to get available services and food to those who need it most.

It was a shared passion to help the homeless between Thomas and his wife Linda, who unfortunately passed away a few years ago.

When that happened Thomas says critical money came to a halt.

“I run it the same way but I use my own funding,” says Randle El.

“The way that I work with the homeless, a government grant doesn’t allow it”

Now using his own funding, he’s doing the best he can his focus trying to get homeless individuals identification cards.

“If they don’t have that Nevada ID, there’s no services available,” says Randle El.

But today, we’re changing that.

“The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation wants to help you get homeless people off the streets so they’ll be picking up the cost of 50 ID’s for Nevada’s homeless,” says Austin Carter, reporter.

Standing next to him is his nominator Lisa Kalkes, who says there’s no one more selfless or deserving of some help this holiday than Thomas.

“He’s super passionate about helping the homeless and you almost can’t help but want to get involved because that passion is contagious,” says Kalkes.

13 Days and Knights of Giving is sponsored by Golden Knights Foundation, Subaru of Las Vegas and America First Credit Union.