When Kevin Grooms sent that $18 check eight years ago he didn’t know the extent of his journey to change the life of a boy in Honduras.

The 1985 graduate of Richmond Senior High School was single and living in Charlotte at the time. He’ll be rejoining his Raider classmates for a reunion this weekend.

His Honduras adventure started around his 35th birthday when he decided to give to a charity he had seen on television.

He had moved to Charlotte in 1993 and was working at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Grooms realized that he was so caught up in his everyday life and was not making a difference in the world. He thought that the one small check sent out monthly to Children International would help bring some perspective.

Shortly after sending the check, Grooms received a package from Children International. He described this package as a “dirty little trick” from the foundation and quickly realized he was hooked on this adorable child from Honduras.

“They sent me a picture of the cutest little kid I had ever seen in my life,” he recalled. “ He was well-groomed, clean and adorable. I thought, ‘you asked for it, you got it!’”

The small boy in the picture was Gerardo.

Grooms framed the photo and placed it by his bedside table. He continued to send the monthly check, which is now $22, for the past eight years. Grooms received thank-you notes written in Spanish and translated into English twice a year. He watched the nine-year-old boy grow into a young man of 17, with the shadow of a mustache. With each passing year, he noticed the letters sent from Gerardo were growing as was this small child he once received a picture of.

The more he knew about Gerardo and his family, the more responsible he felt. He explained the unusual bond he felt between Gerardo and himself. He found out last year that Gerardo had aged out of school in Honduras. Grooms often wondered what would happen to the child.

More than half of the population in Honduras lives in poverty. Gerardo’s mother is a single parent and supports herself and her two children on $125 monthly as a house cleaner.

Grooms was afraid of what would happen to Gerardo now out of school. He is aware of the many dangerous street gangs in Honduras and how they prey on poverty-stricken young boys. Grooms offered to pay for art lessons until he could figure a way to get Gerardo back into school. Throughout the years, Gerardo had sent him many drawings and Grooms thought he had potential. So, Grooms then began sending an extra $96 to cover art classes.

Shortly after that time, he helped arrange to get Gerardo into a private high school in Honduras. Instead of the money for art classes, Grooms now sends $132 extra a month to pay for Gerardo’s tuition, school supplies and clothing.

Grooms then decided to go a bit farther and requested to meet Gerardo and his family. Children International made it possible and in late January, he flew to San Pedro Sula in Honduras. Gerardo and his mother and younger brother were waiting at the Children International community center.

They spent the day together along with a representative of Children International. Grooms was able to visit the family home in the rural area of Honduras. He said the family lives in a one room house with two beds and a hot plate. The family rents the home for $37 a month.

“We had such a great time. I was excited about eating the authentic Honduran cuisine but insisted Gerardo wanted Pizza Hut,” revealed Grooms, “Gerardo also gave me two of the three painting he had completed. One was actually sold, which is an amazing thing.”

Upon his return to Charlotte, Grooms was unable to let the images of this family and their home situation leave his mind. It was at that time, Grooms decided to help in a bigger way than he could ever imagine.

Grooms thought if the family did not have rent to pay, they could possibly be able to purchase a refrigerator, stove, and other items that a family needs. The family home had one room that was a kitchen, living area and bedroom with only two beds for the three people living there.

In fact, the home did not even have running water. He called Children International and was informed that a house that size, equipped with the basic needs for the family could be built for around $7,000.

At that time, Grooms decided to start a fundraiser to help build Gerardo and his family a suitable home that would be rent and mortgage free. Firstgiving.com is an online Web site that helps people raise money for their non-profit. Firstgiving believes in giving all non-profits the same opportunity to raise money, including the smaller ones who can not afford to spend much money on their cause or organization. Many people have given a donation to this cause and Grooms is grateful.

“I am forever changed because of this experience,” said the son of Faye Williams Martin and Roy L. Grooms, and grandson of Odessa Goodwin Williams.

Grooms hopes that anyone wishing to donate to his non-profit for Gerardo and his family go to his Web site at Firstgiving. All you have to do is log onto the Web site at www.firstgiving.com/gerardoshouse.

Any amount given will help Gerardo and his family. Grooms also encourages anyone who has thought of helping a child in need to take that first step and call. Children all over the world are in need. It will help a chid and his family but more than that, it will help you.