RICHMOND, Va. -- All year, the non-profit Backpacks for the Homeless RVA, works to provide hygiene products, clothes, food, and tents to those in need.
Now, the group is in need of help, as not only has the cost of items grown but so has the number of people in need.
"These are folks generally that do not want to be seen and because of that they just don't get a lot of benefits from a lot of other services," said the non-profit's founder, Earnie Taylor.
Taylor, who started the organization in 2013, says they bi-annually host a large backpack giveaway.
When they aren't giving away backpacks, the group meets every Friday to give out food, socks, and hygiene products to the homeless in Richmond, Colonial Heights, and Chesterfield.
"Throughout the wintertime when it's 20 degrees out, they're out there, they're reaching them, when it's 100 degrees out during the summer they’re out there," said non-profit volunteer Shannon Billings.
She said the group may have to stop serving every Friday as they don't have the funds or items to continue doing so.
"We’re going to have to cease distributing food on Friday. We just don’t have enough. So there is a great need," said Billings.
Taylor said he has seen an increase in people and families sleeping on the streets or in cars in need of help.
"A lot of the time people wind up homeless and it's strictly from the economy and them not being able to afford things or go through a health crisis and lose everything," Taylor said. "It can happen to anyone - it doesn't take that long to run through savings."
He also said that the non-profit is in desperate need of help - help that ensures they can continue to assist others.
"We could stand any kind of help we could get, either financially or the products we actually put out," Taylor said. "The more people that are out here, the more help we actually need to do what we’re doing."
Some of the donations they need include:
- Socks
- Tents (new or used)
- Backpacks (new or used)
- Canned goods (preferably with pull tops)
- Water
- Travel-sized hygiene products
- Hats
- Gloves
- Washcloths
- Toothbrushes
You can drop off at any of the locations below:
- Level Up Barber Salon
- 216 Johnson Creek Dr, Chester, VA 23836
- The Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education
- 11810 Centre St, Chester, VA 23831
- Murphy's Law
- 6411 Chesterfield Meadows Dr, Chesterfield, VA 23832
- Vapor Connection
- 2061 Walmart Way, Midlothian, VA 23113
- Basic City Bear Co.
- 212 W. Sixth St, Richmond, VA, 23224
- Holy Comforter Episcopal Church
- 4819 Monument Ave., Richmond, VA23230
You can also donate to the non-profit's GoFundMe or purchase a T-shirt to which the proceeds go directly to helping Backpacks for the Homeless RVA.
They also need volunteers so anyone hoping to work with the non-profit can contact Taylor by email at earnie@backpacksforthehomelessrva.com
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