MILWAUKEE — A lot of families are struggling to make ends meet right now. One local father has made it his mission to help, in honor of his own son.
They shared a name and an unbreakable bond.
When Adebisi Agoro lost his son, 14-year-old Adebisi, in a drowning in 2018, he didn't know if he'd ever recover.
Agoro found healing in trying to help other Milwaukee kids, in the form of winter coat drive. He's made it a yearly event. In the past two years, he's collected and donated more than 500 coats for kids.
"I raised my child with a lot of lessons on giving and service, that I thought were important for him to have, if I would ever leave this earth," Agoro said. "In turn, all of the things I was teaching my son were things that when he left the world, I then had to internalize. I just feel this is my job. I'm still his father. He's still my son. This is what we're doing now."
Agoro's partner in this mission is his son's stepfather, Shawn Muhammad. The two men who loved young Adebisi most, are now working together to make sure the light he shared in life, continues after death.
"I think about Adebisi every day," Muhammad said. "This coat drive is a way that we can serve the community in his name and honor, without him being here."
A special addition this year - many of the coats will go to The Asha Project, a Milwaukee organization that helps survivors of domestic violence, sex abuse and trafficking.
"Many children that are uprooted from domestic violence situations, they have to leave their stuff behind, and they often go without coats," Muhammad said. "It gives us an opportunity to help those children."
If you'd like to help, you can mail or drop off coats or monetary donations at The Asha Project - 3719 West Center Street. You can also email Adebisi Agoro at admin@thegoddegree.com
Because of Covid-19, they prefer donations of new coats. If coats are gently used, please make sure they are washed before you donate them.
There is also a GoFundMe set up for monetary donations. To donate, click here.
