Home - Backpacks of Love  

 

   

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

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

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.

 


 

 

 


13560 Cogburn Road    ::    Alpharetta, GA  30004    ::    Office - 770.521.0207    Fax - 770.521.0208    ::    office@staidans.org


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