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From living on a bus to their own home: How a Greeley family helped a homeless family of five

Posted at 9:04 PM, Dec 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-07 00:41:41-05

GREELEY, Colo. -- A homeless family of five went from living in a bus to having their own home in just a week thanks to the generosity of another family in Greeley. 

Olivia, Eric, and three kids (ages 5, 1, and 4 weeks) were living in a partially converted school bus, traveling across the country when they broke down in Greeley.

“It’s scary, it’s terrifying, it’s not fun you can’t give kids enough food,” Olivia said. 

That is, until Thanksgiving night, when Virginia Kinch and her girls were delivering meals to the homeless in the area. 

“We were worried with the weather being what it was... them living on the bus,” Kinch said. “And asked if they wanted to move into our other house.”

“I just didn't think it was real. Like a cruel joke. Who does that? Nobody does that,” Olivia said. 

The next week was full of gathering donations of food and clothes to give to the family. This past week, they moved in, rent and utility free. 

“It helped restore my faith in humanity,” Olivia said. 

“Olivia tells me I was an angel and I saved their life,” Kinch said.

But her life wasn't the only thing Knich saved. Olivia said Kinch saved the family's holiday, too.  

“We didn't think we were gonna have a Christmas at all,” Olivia said. “We would’ve been lucky if we had enough food or jobs at that point.”

Instead, the family took a holiday picture in front of their Christmas tree, inside their own (borrowed) home. 

“People just need somebody to care,” Olivia said.

This is a temporary arrangement, until the family can get back on their feet. Then Kinch said she hopes to rent out her home rent-free to another homeless family.

They have set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses. That link can be found here.