Acasha Jackson's voice trembled as she looked at the charred remains of what was once her home. With a heavy sigh, she said, "This was our home... this was our peace." The weight of her loss was palpable.
You might remember Acasha Jackson. She and her four boys barely escaped a devastating house fire last week that destroyed nearly everything they owned.
When I caught up with her, the pain of the ordeal was still fresh.
“We’re going to miss this house… we are,” Jackson says, her voice breaking as she fought back tears.
Now, with no place to call home, Jackson is uncertain about what the future holds for her and her children. “It’s hard right now," she admitted. "I’m doing everything on my own."
The family has been moving from house to house, trying to piece their lives back together. Jackson's main goal is simple but overwhelming.
“My biggest focus is to try and get back into another house,” she said, her eyes filled with determination.
After we aired her story, the owners of Dawg City knew they had to step in and help. Ken Hughes, the owner, reached out with a plan to support Acasha and her family.
“Anybody that comes in and buys a fish fry on Friday the 18th, or one of our sandwiches—the Philly cheesesteak or Italian beef—some of the proceeds will go to help get this family back on their feet,” Hughes explained.
Ken and his wife Tanya, who own Dawg City in the Third Street Market Hall, are no strangers to hardship. Their compassion stems from personal experience.
“We’ve had situations in our life that weren’t always favorable,” Ken shared. “Sometimes, people looked out for us, so we’re just paying it forward.”
Tanya added, “Within our outreach, that’s our goal. We’re here to help individuals.”
Watch: Local business helps single mother who lost home in house fire.
When they’re not serving up food at Dawg City, the Hughes are giving back through Faith Harvest Outreach, a non-profit organization they founded together. Their mission is clear.
“This is more than just a business for us,” Ken said. “It’s a ministry. Whenever we have an opportunity to help out our community, we will, because without the community, Dawg City wouldn’t exist.”
This gesture of kindness is something Jackson is deeply grateful for. “I just want help to get back into a place with my boys," she said. "Right now, it’s just really hard. It really, really is.”
Click here to support a GoFundMe for Jackson and her family, or you can visit Dawg City on October 18th to lend a hand.
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