money to support any “bad
habits” he may have. She read
about “blessings bags,” which
are donated bags full of basic
necessities, like toiletries
and gift cards to get food. She
planned to give out 50 bags before
Thanksgiving that year,
but she said God told her to give
them out on Jan. 2, when there
would be fewer community
giveaways.
“I hand wrote in each one of
them ‘to God’s child,’” she said.
In 2018, she quit her job and
started God’s Blessings Plan, a
non-profi t.
In 2020, she also created
Living Water Health, a company
that sells cleaning supplies.
The business both brings
a source of income to her family
and helps sustain her nonprofi
t, as 10% of profi ts go to
God’s Blessings Plan.
Johnson does not take home
a salary from the 501c3 and its
only paid employee is a virtual
assistant.
In 2020, God’s Blessings
Plan had $39,350 of revenue
and $37,027 of expenses, according
Kiora Jones (right) discusses where attendees should stand at a Sept. 26
toy giveaway with Janine Saulsbury, executive director of Share for Life
(left) and another volunteer. Photo courtesy Kiora Jones
God's Blessings Plan is a registered 501c3 charitable nonprofit organization
that focuses on Community Development and strives to show the love and
compassion of Christ to those most vulnerable in the community.
Interested in donating to our cause?
(800) 243- 8961
godsblessingsplan.org
God's Blessings Plan Gods.Blessings.Plan
"If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no
compassion - how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let's not merely say that
we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions." - 1 John 3:17-18
BY ALIYA SCHNEIDER
Kiora Johnson, founder
and executive director of God’s
Blessings Plan, said she left
her six-fi gure fi nance career
to pursue community service,
guided by her Christain faith.
It all started after returning
to work from maternity leave
in the fall of 2017. She was noticing
more homeless people
on her way to work, and she
wasn’t sure if it was because of
her break from commuting or
if the homeless population suddenly
skyrocketed.
“At the very least, they’re
somebody’s child and we kind
of walk past them,” she said.
In early November, she noticed
a homeless man pulling
pieces off of his sandwich, sharing
them with pigeons.
“It literally stopped me in
my tracks because I was going
to walk across the street and I
felt like God was like, he’s sharing
what little he has and you
can’t even look him in the eye,”
she said.
She wanted to help the man,
but didn’t want to give him
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N 28 OV. 26-DEC. 2,2021 BTR
to information provided by
the organization to Guidestar,
a database of non-profi t organizations.
In 2018, the organization
served 400 people, which
rose to 2,000 in 2019 and 2,600 in
2020.
The non-profi t’s fi rst Bronx
event was in March this year,
which distributed food and basic
necessities like toiletries.
Then, in August, another event
in the borough offered school
supplies and personal protective
equipment (PPE).
Johnson’s next events will
be held this Wednesday and
Thursday, the fi rst in the Bronx
and the second in Queens.
On Wednesday, the day
before Thanksgiving, from
11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Graham
Triangle, a grassy area surrounded
by Third and Lincoln
avenues between East 137th
and 138th streets, 500 people
will be able to receive food,
winter coats and accessories,
baby supplies, toiletries, PPE
and cooking supplies on a fi rstcome,
fi rst-serve basis. On
Thanksgiving, 300 people will
have the same opportunity in
Queens.
At both events, there will be
a 17-foot truck with two 80-inch
television screens, which her
uncle owns, playing Christian
rap, she said.
Both events will also have
representatives from Hire
Point Staffi ng Solutions, a
Bronx-based staffi ng agency,
and Ena’s Driving School, a
Queens-based school that offers
free CDL licenses. The goal is to
help people fi nd employment or
new employment, addressing
people’s long-term needs alongside
the distributed necessities.
Johnson started the nonprofi
t in Queens, so that’s
where most of the programming
has been concentrated.
She moved to Long Island with
her husband — who helps with
both initiatives — and now
four-year-old son after the pandemic
hit, so her events span
across New York City and Long
Island.
While Johnson said her organization’s
mission “is to be
the answer to prayer” and to be
ambassadors “of Jesus Christ
on earth,” its events are open
to anyone, no matter their religious
background.
From 6 fi gures to volunteer
charity leader
/godsblessingsplan.org
/godsblessingsplan.org