When you don’t have a home to store your belongings, a backpack is more than just a bag. It’s a mobile pantry, practical storage and some semblance of security.
That’s why backpacks are one of the most requested items at homeless shelters, and it’s why the Terry College of Business chose to focus its annual philanthropic drive on providing them to people experiencing homelessness in Athens and Atlanta.
“All the things you’re putting in these bags are just so helpful for these guys,” said James Scott, executive director of Athens outreach ministry, the Sparrow’s Nest. “Having a good bag is critical because this is what some of these guys tote all day, every day.”
The B.A.G. Event, short for Bringing Athens Good, was launched three years ago by the Institute for Leadership Advancement. Christina Britt, a Leonard Leadership Scholar who is completing a master’s degree in nonprofit management and leadership, has coordinated the drive with local partners Serving SOUL and The Backpack Project.
Supporters raised more than $4,000 to purchase and stock the backpacks. Almost 60 students, faculty and staff volunteered to pack the bags with hygiene kits and supplies at the Business Learning Community on April 21.
They assembled 275 backpacks filled with everything from rain ponchos and water bottles to toiletries and socks. The Backpack Project — an Athens nonprofit founded by Terry alumnus Zachary Leitz — will provide the bags to the Sparrow’s Nest in Athens and Restoration Atlanta.
“I like the tangible side of it; it’s hands-on service,” Britt said. “The fact that Terry students, faculty and staff were interested in being hands-on with their service — not just donating but taking it a step further — was really inspiring to me.”
Britt worked with The Backpack Project to source quality backpacks and all of the provisions. They based the backpacks’ contents on requests that they’ve gotten from shelter administrators, like Scott, and people who have received packs in the past.
The B.A.G. Event’s continuity is what makes it valuable, Scott said. Knowing that backpacks are coming each year helps the Sparrow’s Nest plan their requests for donations from other groups.
Students often come into a college campus without really becoming part of the surrounding community, said economics and finance major William Ross, who serves as the chief operations officer for The Backpack Project. Community outreach like the B.A.G. Event helps them give something back.
“It’s important to come together as a college to do this type of project, so we can have a positive impact on the community,” Ross said, “to show that we are a part of the larger community.”