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Backpacks
of Love is a ministry serving children and their families who are
homeless or otherwise in severe need. Recent economic troubles have
made homelessness in suburban areas like northern Metro Atlanta even
more visible, crying for our help.
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
In 2011, we delivered:
11,027 pounds of food and other
essential items in 455
backpacks. . .
510 pounds of school supplies in
55 backpacks . . .
For a total of 11,537
pounds—almost six tons—from over 70 different volunteer
backpack sponsors.
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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.
Backpack sponsors use this information to shop for their assigned
family, and pack a backpack which is
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delivered to the
school. Backpacks are distributed to assigned families by school
personnel, and empty backpacks are returned to the school to be
reused.
This
ministry was started through St. Aidan’s in January 2011 with a
delivery of 11 backpacks to Piney Grove Middle School in Cumming.
Backpacks of Love has grown this year to serve two schools, Piney
Grove Middle School and Midway Elementary School, with more schools
set to be added. In addition to food items, Backpacks of Love has
delivered toiletry and other personal care items, as well as school
supplies.
Backpack sponsors include not only parishioners of St. Aidan’s, but
other concerned members of the community, including members of other
Christian denominations.
Backpacks of Love asks for nothing from those it serves. We do not
know their names or identities. We only seek to serve Christ by
serving those in severe need.
For further
information on Backpacks of Love, please contact John Ray at
john.f.ray@gmail.com,
or the church office at St. Aidan’s.
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