Pay it Forward: Bend hot dog man feeds the hungry

Rain or shine, Justin Grell, the owner of Bend Mountain Dogs, is in the heart of downtown, selling food.

But he is serving much more than hot dogs from his food cart to the Central Oregon community.

“I’ve donated over one thousand dogs to homeless people I see going through the trash can,” Grell said. “I give out about four to five hot dogs a day.”

Greil’s mission is to give, and he says donating is what his business is all about.

“When you feed a homeless person, you’re not just giving them food. You are giving them hope,” Grell said. “You’re telling them, ‘Hey, you are still a part of this community.”

This month,NewsChannel 21, Co-Energy Propane and Mid-Oregon Credit Union chose to Pay it Forward to Grell and gave him $500.

Grell says his spirit to give stems from something deeper.

“My family gave up on me when I was younger,” he saidl. “You shouldn’t give up on people with problems. You should just keep giving them the help they need until they are active members of society.”

Whether is hot dogs or hope, Grell is giving back to those who need it most.

“I do it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said..