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Backpacks of
Love is a ministry serving children and their families who
are homeless or otherwise in severe need. Homelessness is becoming a
much more visible, prevalent problem in suburban areas like northern
Metro Atlanta. Forsyth County, one of Georgia’s wealthier counties as
measured by per capita income, just conducted its first ever survey of
the homeless population.
Homeless children and youth, as defined
by federal law, include the following:
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those who are
sharing the housing of others due to loss of housing, economic
hardship, or a similar reason; |
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children and youth
who live in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due
to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; |
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those who live in
emergency or transitional shelters; |
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children and youth
awaiting foster care placement; |
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children and youth
living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings,
substandard housing, bus or train stops, or similar settings; |
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and, children who,
because parents are guardians are migrant workers, live in
temporary housing circumstances such as what is described above. |
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Backpacks of Love by the
Numbers
Since its founding
in 2011, Backpacks of Love has supplied . . .
52,000 pounds of food, school supplies and other essential
items in 2,300 backpacks. . .
Approximately 180 individual sponsors contributed to this
ministry . . .
The estimated dollar value of goods delivered was almost
$62,000.
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Homeless children
who are hungry often do poorly in school due to physical and emotional
problems. Backpacks of Love seeks not only to address the physical
need of hunger, but to improve a child’s health, performance in
school, conduct, and self-esteem from knowing that others in this
world they may never meet care about them and their livelihood.
Families in need are
identified by school counselors and social workers, but their identity
remains confidential. Backpacks of Love receives family numbers with a
few anonymous details such as family size and age of children. Sponsors
are assigned to an individual student and their family, shop for
that assigned family, and pack a backpack. Backpacks are tagged which is
delivered to the school. Backpacks are distributed to assigned families
by school personnel, and empty backpacks are returned to the school to
be reused.
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This ministry was
started through St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in January 2011 with a
delivery of 11 backpacks to Piney Grove Middle School in Cumming. Since
that time, we have added eight different schools in Forsyth and Fulton
Counties to those we serve:
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Forsyth County |
Fulton County |
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Midway Elementary |
Mimosa Elementary |
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Shiloh Point Elementary |
Hembree Springs
Elementary |
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Big Creek Elementary |
Manning Oaks Elementary |
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Piney Grove Middle |
Elkins Pointe Middle |
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South Forsyth Middle |
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In 2012 we also began delivering food,
clothing, and other needed items to Jesse’s House, a shelter for
adolescent women located in Forsyth County.
In addition to food items, Backpacks of Love has responded to other
needs as well. At the beginning of the year we provide school supplies
in brand new backpacks for the students we serve. Additionally, school
social workers give us guidance on families that may have particular,
often emergency needs which we might be able to meet. We have supplied
books for reading days, conducted two virtual baby showers to supply
expectant mothers recovering from homelessness, partnered with St.
Joseph’s Food Pantry (a ministry of St. Brendan’s Catholic Church) to
supply food over the summer to families of Piney Grove Middle School,
and conducted a holiday gift card drive for Jesse’s House which raised
almost $1,300. In addition, Backpacks of Love was also named by Mimosa
Elementary School as its Partner of the Year, and received a $500
grant for backpack purchases from the Piney Grove Middle School PTSA.
Backpacks of Love operates entirely almost entirely through the
stewardship of its sponsors and volunteer labor. Over 180 individual
sponsors serve by filling backpacks of food, school supplies, or by
making other donations. Three different churches, St. Aidan’s
Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, and St.
Columba’s Episcopal Church, have an organized effort within their
churches to assemble sponsors and donations. Additionally, individuals
from a variety of area churches, including Johns Creek Baptist Church,
First Redeemer Church, North Point Community Church, and Browns Bridge
Community Church, are active sponsors.
While Backpacks of Love was started and is largely driven by
individuals from several Christian denominations, this organization
asks nothing from those it serves. We do not know their names or
identities. We only seek to serve Christ through our service to those
in severe need.
Backpacks of Love expects to receive 501(c)(3) status early in 2013 as
an independent non-profit entity incorporated in the State of Georgia.
For further information on Backpacks of Love, please contact John Ray
at
lovingbackpacks@gmail.com.
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