COLORADO SPRINGS FOR A RALLY IN
ONE DAY, PETE BUTTIGIEG WILL BE
HOSTING A TOWN HALL IN AURORA
ON SATURDAY.
ELIZABETH WARREN HOLDING A
RALLY IN DENVER ON SUNDAY.
AND AURORA MAN LOSES HIS
ABILITY TO BUY FOOD AFTER
RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY.
HAS GOOD DEED WOUND UP
COSTING HIM AS GOVERNMENT
BENEFITS AND WHEN HE TRIED TO
CLEAR UP THE CONFUSION, A LOT
HARDER THAN EXPECTED.
CBS4 INVESTIGATOR KATIE WEISS
ALSO WANTED AN EXPLANATION.
IT TOOK A WHILE BUT HE FIGURED
IT OUT?
, DYLAN FLINT NEVER EXPECTED
TO LOSE HIS GOVERNMENT BENEFITS
DUE TO HIS CHARITY WORK.
BUT, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED AND
NOW HE HAS SOME VALUABLE ADVICE
FOR ANYONE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
I WAS FAIRLY GIDDY.
Reporter: DYLAN FLINT HAS A
REFRIGERATOR FULL OF GROCERIES
NOW AFTER SPENDING TWO MONTHS
WITHOUT ANY MONEY FOR FOOD,
JUST BECAUSE HE RAISED MONEY
FOR A CAUSE CLOSE TO HIS HEART.
I GOT MY FIRST GUITAR WHEN I
WAS 15 YEARS OLD.
A FEW MONTHS LATER I SUFFERED A
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IN AN
AUTO ACCIDENT.
Reporter: HE STARTED A
MISSION HE CALLS PAST THE BASE.
BASES FROM ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY, --
IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE YOU
WILL BE ON THE COVER OF GQ.
FROM EXCELLENT DONIS THE
PROCEEDS TO THE BRAIN INJURY
ALLIANCE OF COLORADO, BUT IN
HIS EFFORTS TO HELP OTHERS,
FLYNN'S FOOD STAMPS WERE
REVOKED.
IN DECEMBER, FLYNN DEPOSITED
$2400 HE MADE ON A BIG SALE.
HE WAS PLANNING TO KEEP $400 TO
MAKE MORE T-SHIRTS, AND DONATE
THE OTHER 2000.
THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE OF THAT
DEPOSIT I LOST MY FOOD
ASSISTANCE.
Reporter: HE TRIED TO CLEAR
UP THE MISUNDERSTANDING BY
PROVIDING BANK STATEMENTS TO
THE ARAPAHOE COUNTY HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
BUT, WHEN THAT DIDN'T WORK HE
BROUGHT IN A REP FROM THE BRAIN
INJURY ALLIANCE TO VOUCH FOR
HIM.
BUT, HIS BENEFITS REMAINED
SUSPENDED.
HELPING PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH
BRAIN INJURIES.
AND, THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY
ILLOGICAL PUNISHMENT.
Reporter: SO, HE TURNS TO
CBS4 INVESTIGATES.
AFTER WE STARTED INQUIRING
ABOUT FLYNN'S CASE, THE BENEFIT
OFFICE CALLED FLYNN LETTING HIM
KNOW HIS FOOD ASSISTANCE WAS
BACK ON.
COINCIDENTALLY, IT WAS THE
NEXT DAY.
I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET A
KIDNEY THAT THERE'S NO CHANCE I
WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THOSE CALLS
IS NOT FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.
Reporter: IN AN AGE OF
ONLINE FUNDRAISING, EXPERT SAY
CASES LIKE FLYNN'S ARE BECOMING
MORE COMMON.
FLYNN TELLS ME HE WILL BE MORE
CAREFUL MOVING FORWARD.
ONE THING THAT REALLY PUTS A
SMILE ON MY FACE AND MAKES ME
FEEL BETTER IS KNOWING THAT I
AM HELPING OTHER PEOPLE.
ARAPAHOE COUNTY HUMAN
SERVICES DEPARTMENT COULD NOT
COMMENT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC
CASE, BUT SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR PEOPLE TO DISCUSS AND
DISCLOSE THEIR FUNDRAISING
EFFORTS AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
HOW TO PROPERLY FUNDRAISER THE
LOSING BENEFITS YOU CAN ADD TO
