Man’s effort helps “Jump Start” others

It’s not every day you see a person lending a helping hand to the community and paying others to help as well. A Wilmington man is paying people out of his own pocket with a business called Jump Clean in hopes of jump starting their lives.

Gary Shepard employs people in the community who are homeless or jobless. The crew walks the streets of Wilmington and picks up trash seven days a week.

Shepard is a temp at the Star News. He spends his nights on the loading dock and his days paying these guys eight dollars an hour.

His effort to put a few bucks in someone else’s pocket has left Shepard with very little in his, but he says its all worth it.

“I don’t have anyone but me,” Shepard said. “So it’s not hurting me, and it’s not killing me. It’s for a good cause. I’m pretty sure I’ll eventually get some of my money back. I know I lost a lot of it. I’ll never get it back, but some of it will come back in time.”

Jump Clean currently employs 16 people. If you’d like to help out the cause you can call Shepard at (910) 547-8166.