Man In Cage Raising Money For Children’s Home

by ABC-7 Reporter Ken Molestina

Santiago Blanco says locking himself up in a cage for 30 days with hopes of raising a million dollars for the Lee & Beulah Moor Children’s home is the least he can do for the place that rescued him off the streets.

The 40-year old says he was living a life of domestic abuse and rebellion on the streets when the children’s home came all the way out to his neighborhood in Van Horn, Texas, to offer him an alternative.

“Lee Moor went out and talked to me, and brought me out here, they changed my life,” said Blanco of the first time he was offered a solid home.

Blanco works as a server at the Blue Iguana restaurant in East El Paso. His boss has allowed him to set up his cage right in front of the restaurant in their parking lot.

It’s fully equipped with a port-a-potty, a computer and a small cot. He says that’s all he needs for his journey.

Originally a goal of $100,000 was recommended for his fundraising attempts, but he then bumped it up to an ambitious one million dollar goal.

Besides raising money, Blanco says he hopes to lose between 50 and 100 pounds in the next 30 days. He will do that by exercising on a treadmill, eating salads and drinking plenty of water.

If you would like to donate, all you have to do is go pay him a visit near the intersection of Viscount and Hawkins. He’ll take your donation and then hand it over to his accountant, who is keeping track of all the money raised.