Backpack Beginnings

To accomplish Backpack Beginnings' mission, Backpack Beginnings distributes food and other necessities to children through our 183 community partners and family market (fm). Our community partners include schools, headstarts, pediatricians offices, non-profits, churches and housing authority sites. The bpb family market is a dignity of choice, "one-stop" shopping experience where parents and children select their basic needs at no cost in a retail-like, welcoming environment. Families have access to expanded food choices such as frozen foods, fresh produce, and dairy items as well as resources such as hygiene products, children's clothing, diapers, baby accessories, school supplies, and even childhood joys such as toys, books, and sports equipment. During our 2023-24 fiscal year, we provided 841,469 lbs of food, 1,938 comfort backpacks, 157,650 items of clothing, 81,771 hygiene items, 782,761 diapers, 42,179 household goods, 75,542 school supplies, 34,997 toys, 5,823 baby accessories and 35,204 books to local children and families via our community partners and family market. Overall, these basic needs went to 25,535 children. Beyond the basiscs (btb) is a no-cost coaching program for our fm guests who are motivated to make changes that would positively impact their family through goal setting. Btb also supports fm guests with referrals and case management