Many of you in the Virginia Village/Glendale area may recognize Hashim from the Colorado Blvd & Arkansas Ave intersection. A store in the surrounding area employed Hashim for many years. During this time, Hashim has been a notable community member- always offering the kindest of smiles and friendly waves to all who drove by.

Everyone in the area seems to know the familiar face- his name is Hashim Flowers. I met Hashim after offering him a ride home during a snowstorm. After a long shift outside, he was waiting for the bus, and once he entered my car, we became fast friends. It was the least I could do- he always brought a smile to my face, even on the dullest of days. Last month, I realized I had not seen Hashim in many months. Thankfully, I ran into him a few weeks ago. While he still has the same friendly spirit, he is noticeably going through quite a difficult time.

Hashim informed me that his former employer let him go without notice. The loss of his job has caused extreme financial distress in his life as he is the primary caretaker for his 80-year-old wife. She is home-bound due to a rare autoimmune disease. He lives in an apartment complex in Glendale, and while he and his wife both receive social security checks, he can no longer afford his 1,300/month rent without his job. He has been a beneficiary of the emergency rental assistance program, which has since expired. Due to his wife's condition, they do not wish to leave their current residence as that would disrupt her sensitive health. Hashim asked me to organize a GoFundMe on his behalf. He hopes that anyone he might have had a positive impact on, shared a smile with, or knows him personally could help contribute to their "life or death" situation. He is asking the community to pay it forward to help with a year's rent while he finds another job that can offer the flexibility he needs to care for his wife.

Please share with anyone who may know or recognize Hashim’s famous smile!