![\"10-year-old](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Food-Collected-Bannister-House.jpg\")
<\/a>Fast forward 14 months, and Sanchez, now 10, has set his sights on helping anyone in his midst. More recently, he\u2019s placed emphasis on serving the city\u2019s homeless population by rallying up donations for shoes, blankets and desserts.<\/p>\n
Several homeless-serving organizations have been the direct beneficiaries of Sanchez\u2019s efforts, including Monarch Schools and People Assisting the Homeless (PATH).<\/p>\n
When asked what inspired him to give back to others, Sanchez offers a rather simple response. The goal, he said, is to inspire others to duplicate what he is doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fortunate, so I feel I should help people,\u201d said Sanchez, who lives in the city\u2019s Mission Valley neighborhood. \u201cI like putting smiles on other people\u2019s faces.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanchez\u2019s parents are quick to point out Help ME Help Others was an idea he came up with on his own.<\/p>\n
\u201cAldo has always had a lot of different ideas,\u201d his mother, Isabel Levya-Sanchez, said. \u201cHe has high goals and is filled with joy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sanchez has set up stations in different areas of the city to help spread the word about what he is doing.<\/p>\n
Last month, Sanchez manned a booth outside the Albertsons in Hillcrest just days before Thanksgiving. He was collecting pumpkin pies with the intention of adding a little sweetness to homeless peoples\u2019 holiday festivities. The donations benefited people in Ocean Beach.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were handing out fliers to people, and we asked people if they could donate,\u201d Sanchez said of his recent Hillcrest effort. \u201cOne woman got out her wallet and handed me all of her coins. That was neat.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret San Diego\u2019s homeless population is a startling statistic. The city currently ranks third, trailing New York City and Los Angeles. While it can be easy to overlook the nearly 10,000 homeless people in San Diego, Sanchez said he has not been desensitized to it.<\/p>\n
Sanchez said the shoe drive he embarked on earlier this year came after seeing a young girl living out of a van with her family. She lacked shoes and had only one sock.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this kind of thing helps give people a second chance,\u201d Sanchez said. \u201cPeople need to have second chances.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his brief foray, Sanchez has already caught the notice of some heavy hitters. In June, the San Diego Padres named Sanchez to its annual Hispanic Heritage Comunidad Awards program. Sanchez is the youngest award recipient to date.<\/p>\n
For now, Sanchez is taking a brief respite from his vigorous fundraising efforts. But he already has sketched out his next effort \u2014 collecting personal care items such as soap and deodorant for an organization to be determined. Isabel said a recipient should be chosen soon.<\/p>\n
Sanchez, a fifth-grader at Dana Middle School in Point Loma, said he would like to study computer engineering once he graduates high school, but his aspirations don\u2019t end there. He said he would also like to one day become president of the U.S.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s overwhelming,\u201d Isabel said, reflecting on her son\u2019s efforts and the community\u2019s outpouring of support. \u201cI\u2019m proud of everything he\u2019s done. We\u2019ve all been showered with blessings from this.\u201d<\/p>\n