Worth and Purpose

Bringing Hope and a Future to the Homeless of Polk County

“But after so many years, I knew what to do with hope. I held it an arm’s length away.” — Laura Taylor Namey, “The Library of Lost Things”

Hope is not an abstract concept for Travis Doodles. It is not something he studies from a distance or discusses in theory. Hope is something he encounters face to face— on sidewalks, in parking lots, beneath overpasses, and across folding tables set up for shared meals. In Lakeland, hope often arrives through conversation, consistency, and the radical decision to see people as more than their circumstances.

After living in New Jersey for 18 years, Travis moved to Lakeland for college and, as he says with a laugh, “just never left. I moved to Tampa, Brandon, and just kept going.” Wherever he landed, he noticed the same thing; people living on the margins, often unseen. And wherever he noticed it, he felt compelled to get involved. “I’ve always done some sort of homeless ministry,” Travis explains. “I just never really documented it to the world.” Long before his work would reach millions online, Travis’s career unfolded behind the camera. Reality television gave him a crash course in Hollywood’s chaos. It was fast paced, image driven, and relentlessly demanding. That experience eventually led to a high profile job documenting the daily life of a billionaire: every meeting, every meal, every carefully curated moment.

From the outside, it looked like a success. But inside, something felt hollow. “I thought it was stupid,” Travis said candidly. “There’s nothing wrong with having nice things, but it felt pointless.” The work no longer aligned with who he was becoming, or who he felt called to be. “I had money, and I decided I would give it all away.” It was not an impulsive decision, but a deeply intentional one.

With the full support of his wife Amber, Travis walked away from a six figure salary and toward a life marked by uncertainty, sacrifice, and purpose.

That transition did not happen overnight. It began simply by filming encounters with people experiencing homelessness and sharing those moments on YouTube. The videos were honest and unfiltered, capturing stories often ignored. They resonated in a way Travis never expected.

They went viral.

What followed was a series of organic connections that reshaped Travis’s life. One introduction led to another. Resources appeared. Doors opened. An ice cream truck. A pizza truck. Community members offered help without being asked. None of it was carefully planned; all of it grew through relationships and trust.

Eventually, Travis secured a building where people could be brought back for additional services. By connecting that space with his mobile outreach, Worth and Purpose was born. The organization now hosts special events designed to help the homeless in other ways. They host a weekly church service where they not only deliver ministry, but they can also get a haircut or eat a meal at a table with others. These events are intentionally woven into their outreach. Joy is not an afterthought; it is part of the mission.

Working with local churches and organizations, including Gospel Inc., One More Child, Lighthouse Ministries, and Talbot House, Worth and Purpose acts as a bridge between outreach efforts and life on the streets. Travis was intentional about building something that challenged the traditional nonprofit model. “I didn’t want it to look like everything else,” he said. Rather than focusing on limited hours or short term solutions, Travis envisioned something relational and ongoing. His mission was not simply to feed someone for a day or provide services during business hours. “I want to do life with people,” he explains.

That philosophy means being available around the clock. It means answering phone calls late at night. It means showing up when there’s a crisis and staying when things get uncomfortable. Over time, relationships deepen. Names are remembered. Stories are known. Trust is built.

They become family.

This kind of work demands more than good intentions. It requires emotional endurance, flexibility, and a willingness to carry burdens alongside others. “It’s not for the faint of heart,” Travis admits. “It’s a calling.” On any given day, that calling requires wearing many hats.

Worth and Purpose offers practical support like free haircuts, food, and clothing, but it doesn’t stop there. At special events, participants might find themselves playing mini golf, laughing over shared meals, or simply being treated like everyone else in the room. These moments are intentional. Everyone deserves experiences that restore dignity and remind them they are more than their situation. Each person arrives at homelessness through a unique set of circumstances. None of those circumstances erases the human desire to learn, grow, and experience joy.

Weekly Church Service

Much of what Travis does is self taught. He picked up his first camera long before YouTube existed, learning through trial, error, and relentless determination. When a new skill is required, he finds a way to learn it. When a new challenge arises, he figures out the next step.

When asked what the best part of his work is, Travis doesn’t hesitate. “It’s the people, the hope, and seeing the transformation,” he says. “A lot of the people we meet feel like it’s over. And then we come into their lives and turn things upside down, in the best way possible. You can actually see them come back to life.”

Help comes in many forms, raising money, buying a camper, helping someone regain stability, but it’s always rooted in relationships. “We do life with them the same way you would help your own family,” he explains. “It doesn’t check the normal nonprofit boxes.”

At the heart of everything Travis does, is his faith. “God changed my life,” he said. “And I believe everyone has the same purpose: love God and love people. If you focus on that, everything else will make sense.”

Through four years of this work, Travis has come to a sobering conclusion. “In my experience, the mindset that I have come across is, you either love homeless people, or you hate them. There’s no middle ground. And that hurts,” he explained. “These are human beings, and they’re not treated like it.”

As Polk County’s landscape continues to change, the impact on the homeless community has become increasingly visible. Other local ministries, such as Talbot House, have faced community resistance while attempting to expand services, highlighting the tension between growth, comfort, and compassion.

When asked to describe his work in one word, Travis laughs. “I can’t do it in one word,” he says. “I can do it in four: Love God. Love People.” It sounds simple, but it is not easy. We pass people on the streets every day. Sometimes we look away. Sometimes we pretend not to see them. But ignoring people does not make them disappear.

His life scripture is Matthew 5:16: “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Travis is doing this, one encounter at a time. Get involved and join the movement at travisdoodles.com.

Info@worthandpurpose.org

Instagram: @TravisDoodles

Facebook: TravisDoodles

YouTube: @TravisDoodles

1329 East Main Street, Lakeland

863-688-8551