#14: Bella Baskin is the 29-year-old founder & CEO of Bless it Bag. While working at WBTV as a photo consultant, she would drive by the same homeless people every day, and although she desperately wanted to help them, she feared if she gave them cash it would just be used for drugs or alcohol. As someone with a history of addiction (who is now 10 years sober) Bella did not want to contribute to the vicious cycle she personally knew could be so toxic.

After going to Los Angeles’ Skid Row, talking to people who were experiencing homelessness, and asking them what would be useful alternatives to cash, she decided to create bags for men, women, and dogs, filled with essential items (including snacks, water, personal hygiene products and more) that could easily be kept in her car to pass out to those in need. She decided to call her charity Bless It Bag®, and created a website where people could purchase bags that they could keep in their car to give out to those in need. She also made an Instagram account to educate others about the problems affecting the homeless community and to let her followers know what they could do to help. We are so excited to have you hear Bella's story!