Good People Doing Good Things — Aaron Jackson

Posted on by under animals, Environmental Issues, Global Issues, Good people doing good things, History, Social commentary

I don’t know how it is that Aaron Jackson has not flown onto my ‘good people’ radar screen before, but he’s there now and deserves recognition.  Jackson was a CNN Hero back in 2007, a few years before I started my ‘good people’ posts, and he has been noted for numerous humanitarian causes since then.  A bit about Mr. Jackson’s background from Wikipedia provides a foundation before I get into the reason he is on my radar today …

“Aaron Jackson is an American human rights and environmental activist. Jackson was raised in Destin, Florida and attended Valencia College until 2002. After backpacking around the world, he interned at The Homeless Voice, an advocacy group in Davie, Florida, and became director of the COSAC Homeless Shelter. The first orphanages he opened in Haiti were established using money he made as a golf caddy while living in a homeless shelter in order to fund the orphanages. Jackson was named a CNN Hero in 2007 after leading a campaign to deworm children in Haiti.

In 2004, Jackson founded Planting Peace, a nonprofit organization that advocates for LGBT issues and runs six orphanages in Haiti and India. In 2012, he purchased a home across from Westboro Baptist Church after looking at the neighborhood around Westboro on Google Earth. He painted the exterior of the house with the colors of the pride flag in 2013 and it became the “Equality House.” Through Planting Peace, Jackson placed a billboard in Kim Davis’ hometown after she denied marriage licenses to same sex couples in 2015. In 2016, Jackson traveled to Antarctica to place a pride flag deeming it ‘the world’s first LGBT-friendly continent.’”

The Equality House, a rainbow-colored house with an LGBTQ flag, across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.

I still cannot believe he hasn’t crossed my radar before this!  At any rate, what he has done most recently is yet another example of Aaron Jackson’s big heart and desire to help humanity wherever he finds the need.

When Jackson read a news story about Ukrainian refugees sleeping in a train station he packed his bags and got to work, heading for an area near the border between Poland and Ukraine.  Says Mr. Jackson …

“There I saw the true cost of war.  Families fleeing their homes. Families separating from their loved ones. Families fleeing from the lives they knew.  It is just absolutely freezing outside. So, getting people into housing is absolutely vital.”

While walking through a packed refugee center near the Krakovets border crossing, Jackson spotted a little girl playing with a toy. Speaking through a translator, he learned her parents were originally from Congo and had lived in Ukraine for the last 12 years.

The father, Donatien Tshikele Mubabinge, said that when Russian bombs fell too close to their home, he, his wife, Ngalula, and their 2-year-old daughter, Tushike, left everything behind, including their savings. They tried taking a taxi to the border, but when traffic got too backed up, he says they had to walk nearly 40 miles (about 60 km), much of it with Tushike on his back.

After learning of their ordeal, Jackson booked a hotel room for the family and began searching for more permanent housing.

“It’s horrible why they’re leaving, but it’s inspiring at the same time — to see the human will and the human spirit and what they’re willing to do to save their own lives and the life of their child.”

After several days of searching, Jackson found an apartment in Krakow, Poland. Using donations to his organization, he secured the flat for a year and provided the Mubabinges with funds for food and necessities.

“I just know that this will let them relax a little bit. To give them the ability to start looking for work. You know, just to get their bearings.”

Jackson is continuing his efforts to help refugees in Poland. He was happy he could help this family through such a difficult time.

“It’s good to have wins, you know? In a situation like this, this was definitely a win.”

Even The Dodo got on the Aaron Jackson bandwagon when they learned that he had stopped by a local animal shelter to offer aid and was speaking to the director outside when a family approached. Walking in front of them on a leash was a beautiful cocker spaniel named Bella.  After speaking with the family, the shelter director turned to Jackson and said, “They’re actually refugees and want to forfeit over their dog to us because they’re homeless and don’t have anywhere to go, and they don’t want their dog to be out in the cold.”

Within 20 minutes, Jackson was able to set up the family with pet-friendly housing. The joy on everyone’s faces was evident — including Bella, who couldn’t stop wagging her tail.

Jackson has been working tirelessly to find housing for refugees, funding month-long stays, meals and basic necessities through Planting Peace.

“Some people cross and they have places to go. Other people cross and they have no money and no place to go. Everybody is a little different.”

Two thumbs up to Mr. Aaron Jackson who has been a humanitarian for all of his life and today is helping save lives in an untenable situation!

34 thoughts on “Good People Doing Good Things — Aaron Jackson”

  4. An outstanding selection for a Good People post! Aaron Jackson is a phenomenal human being and reminds one of the Energizer Bunny…he just keeps going and going! It may not surprise you that I know the story of Jackson, Planting Peace, Equality House and Transgender House but will spare you my P4L as it matters little. I will mention that in the Fall of 2016 there was some external vandalism of Equality House that occurred while Jackson was inside. “What you do for yourself dies with you when you leave this world, what you do for others lives on forever.” – Sir Kenneth Robinson (1950-2020) in 2009 book “The Element”. WHAK!! Thank-you!

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    • What a great analogy … Aaron Jackson and the Energizer Bunny! Ha ha … no, dear friend, it does not surprise me in the least that you were already aware of Aaron Jackson, Planting Peace, Equality House, et al … you are always a step or five ahead of me! And I’m always grateful for your input and your P4L!!! I did read, but didn’t include in my post, about the vandalism and shots fired on the Equality House and was saddened, but frankly not surprised. People seem to just look for somebody to hate these days. Sigh. I love the quote!!! Thanks! WHAK!!!

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  5. It’s hard to imagine being a refugee once let alone twice over. there are people from all over the world it seems who made Ukraine their home and also students from all over studying at university. While the rest of us sit at home wringing our hands, Aaron was diving straight in.

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    • Indeed so. The second person I was considering for my ‘good people’ this week, and she may make it next week, is a woman who is helping Holocaust survivors in Ukraine! That, to me, is the absolute worst thing I can imagine — to have survived the Holocaust, then be going through a destructive war in their new homeland. And you’re right … the rest of us sit at home … saddened and distraught, but most of us don’t have the resources to hop a plane for Ukraine. And frankly, most of us likely don’t have the courage, either. I’ve donated money to a few reputable causes helping Ukrainian refugees, but that is a drop in the bucket compared to what Aaron Jackson is doing.

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    • You are so right about that, but the “Me First” crowd will never understand that for their vision is clouded by arrogance and greed. Thankfully, there are people like Mr. Jackson who just keep on keeping on and ignore the rabble rousers.

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  8. If there were any justice in the world, monsters like Putin would be in hell instead of making life a hell for the innocent. Thank heaven for angels like Aaron Jackson (and thank you for bringing such GOOD PEOPLE on your radar).

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    • I certainly agree with you 100% Luckily, there are people like Mr. Jackson and so many others who are striving to make the world a better place. I need the ‘good people’ as much as you guys do … it gives me a boost to write about them after all the other sorts that I normally write about!

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  11. Pingback: Good People Doing Good Things — Aaron Jackson. |jilldennison.com | Ramblings of an Occupy Liberal

  12. “when Russian bombs fell too close to their home”

    Can’t have been RF bombs, neither Ukro bombs. Ukraine’s airforce was thankfully wiped out and Russians don’t do bombing, only surgically scouted out military installations. They said it along that they won’t ever attack the civil population. So the Congolese family is obviously from Donbass region and was not bombed but shelled by either the Ukros or some of their nazi militias. Anyway, Congolese wouldn’t wanna live in Ukraine proper since they are pretty racist around there.

    Too bad that whoever wrote the article was too lazy to do proper research.

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    • And it’s too bad, Orca, that you are so blinded by your love of all things Putin that you felt a need to use your blatant lies to try to ruin a post about humanitarian efforts and a good man. In the future, please either address the topic of the post and use FACTS and SOURCES to back up your opinion or else shut up.

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