The idea to launch a backpacks program for people living on the streets came about one night in February, 2018. Co-founders Jeffrey Newman and Jayson Conner were beginning the process of creating Together Helping Others, their full-service nonprofit for the homeless. Realizing that it would take significant time to get THO launched, the guys weren’t content sitting on the sidelines until then. So they decided to launch with BFTS.
While they knew the backpacks concept was not a revolutionary idea, the J’s knew it was the right program to get THO off the ground. Moreover, they knew they would bring their years of experience working with the homeless into the process and put their own twist on bringing compassion and hope to people in need.
“This is about hope. This is about showing people who feel invisible and forgotten about that they matter and that someone cares,” says Newman. “We know this isn’t going to cure homelessness. That’s what our other programs are about; the solutions. But this is about hope,and hope is where it all begins.”
While the nonprofit has become wildly known for our backpacks program, it is fully committed to working with individuals to find short and long-term solutions to getting back on their feet.
When COVID shut down the world in March 2020, Backpacks For The Street immediately jumped into action, mobilizing its teams to take to the streets to help our homeless community, which were among the top five percent of the most vulnerable, with the elderly and immune compromised.
Unfortunately, few other organizations were helping this community, as fear and misinformation were rampant. Our crews were on the front lines for the first 18 months working 18 hours a day to keep people safe, fed and cared after.
Since then, BFTS has been operating 365 day a year.
BFTS has also grown beyond the backpack program that people know us for. Much of our work is devoted to the solutions; helping people who are homeless or displaced find tangible solutions from housing and employment, to healthcare, including substance abuse treatment, resume assistance, immigration and asylum assistance, vocational training, case management and so forth.
Backpacks For The Street is deeply committed to working with all those affected by homelessness, especially BIPOC, LGBTQ and HIV communities, as well as our immigrants and asylum seekers.
While this program is backpacks, we are still Together Helping Others.
We’ also created a mentorship program to actively help our homeless youth population and those who need guidance to figure out their path.
It can be very lonely living on the street. Many of the homeless are grateful that someone sees them as a person and treats them as if they matter. To have someone sit down and talk to you and listen to you, and work with you, one-on-one to help you figure out what you need to do and where you need to go can be a life changer.
We don’t just say that. Our unofficial first client was our co-founder Jayson Conner, who was homeless when he met Jeffrey Newman, who did these things, enabling Jayson to get off the street and find his path forward.
Having that human interaction can make more difference than anything. People need to know they aren’t invisible or disposable.
At the end of the day, we are all human; we are all the same. Our circumstances and struggles may be different, but we are all deserving to be treated with the same dignity compassion and respect as anyone else. This is all of our fight. We are in this together.
BFTS is supported by the generosity of its donors and cooperate sponsors.
Whether it’s $5, $50 or $500, every dollar makes a difference.
Backpacks For The Street is a program of Together Helping Others Inc, a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Together Helping Others is rated silver on GuideStar, a rating given to only 2% of the public charities it monitors for transparency.
