News
Reprinted from Capitalonline.com Neighborhoods
Published November 13, 2006, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2006 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Program needs help filling backpacks for needy
By LESLIE HUNT, Staff Writer
Tis' the season for local nonprofit organizations to gear up for their annual toy, clothing and food collection drives.
One of them is Giving Back Inc., one of the largest nonprofit volunteer organizations sponsoring the annual Help the Homeless drive in Baltimore.
Now in its 24th year, Giving Back Inc. founded by Linda Greenberg of Annapolis, has attracted hundreds of volunteers who help collect and distribute clothing and food to 20 homeless shelters across Anne Arundel County and in Baltimore City.
The annual drive has taken a more direct approach in recent years by stopping the trucks on street corners and delivering backpacks stuffed with clothing directly to needy individuals.
Under the direction of Steve Anstett, executive director, the group distributed 700 backpacks last Christmas Eve, each stocked with sweat pants and shirt, a set of thermal underwear, a hat, warm gloves and a pair of socks. The clothing is geared toward men, who represented 485 recipients of the delivery.
Mr. Anstett said there were not enough backpacks to go around: 500 backpacks went to people on the streets and 200 went to homeless shelters; and they had to turn people away.
"Last year was our toughest year. There was so much demand for people's charity dollar," said Mr. Anstett. "In a span of a year (2004-2005), we had tsunami and Katrina. The focus was on those two disasters and we struggled to raise funds."
"We used everything in the bank last year to make it work," he said.
With that recollection, he wants to double this year's number to 1,400.
"We are also now sourcing the goods that go into the backpacks. Some schools, like the Annapolis Area Christian School, has asked us to buy the goods in bulk, and they will pay for and assemble them.
"I think from an efficiency standpoint, that really works out well."
The organization purchases and provides the backpacks to groups willing to fill them. Each backpack costs about $25 to fill with clothing, and the group has over 20 schools, churches and synagogues already on board this year, but they need more.
"We could easily double that number," said Mr. Anstett.
Commitments are needed now from organizations and private companies to help fill the backpacks, which are ordered from a company in Texas.
A six and a half minute DVD that explains the program and was created by two local Girl Scout troops can be viewed at www.homelessdrive.com. Volunteers will speak to groups interested in joining the program.
Mr. Anstett believes his backpack program is the only one of its kind in the country. He is working on replicating it in Washington, D.C., and in all of the major cities throughout the country.
"That little kit of stuff (backpacks) can be life saving for these people on the streets," he said.
"You would be amazed at how many people are there waiting for us. They have an expectation. They say 'Here are those people with the trucks.' "
More than half of their volunteer base is comprised of young adults from private and public middle, high schools and college students.
"Kids come back year after year … they recognize the value and come back," said Mr. Anstett.
Per tradition, volunteers will be taking clothing donations - coats, boots, hats, pants, shirts, sweaters, etc. - from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 20 through 23 at the Farmers' Market on Riva Road. Volunteers are welcome.
Christmas Eve is divided into two shifts. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. with five teams of volunteers and 14 trucks heading to Baltimore to deliver the clothing to the shelters.
The operation is streamlined to a point that the trucks are set-up for the needs of a particular shelter. For instance, the Veterans Shelter houses about 100 men, and children from Peggy's place - a small home for teenagers - each receive age and gender appropriate clothing. By 1 p.m., the trucks are heading home as the second shift of four truckloads of backpacks head for the beltway, followed by a van with hot foods, soup and coffee.
"What is amazing about this drive is that the number of volunteers the week of the drive have continually gone up," said Mr. Anstett.
Volunteers to handle promotion, collection, distribution and to fill backpacks are needed. For more information, call 410-295-0889 or visit www.homelessdrive.com.
Monetary donations made payable to: Giving Back, Inc., with "Holiday Homeless Drive" in the memo to 626C Admiral Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401 or e-mail homelessdrive@usa.com.
Published November 13, 2006, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2006 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.