Service Beyond Self: Backpacks for the Homeless
By Natalie Collins '15 - '15
As I was preparing to enter my freshman year at Darlington, I knew I had been given an opportunity that many would never have. In an effort to take advantage of all Darlington had to offer as well as give back to those not as fortunate as me, I decided to start a service project centered around students.
I established "Backpacks for the Homeless" to distribute backpacks filled with toiletry items to "At-Risk" (homeless) families in the local school systems. After establishing contacts in both my home and school communities, my project was launched.
Each summer and fall, I collect toiletry donations from local churches and schools that are compiled and organized into bags for men, women, and children and distributed to homeless students in the local school systems during the winter months. Partnering with VAC and Family Connection, two local community service organizations, I expanded my project to reach out to families in surrounding towns and altered my distributions based on the needs each year.
Last year, my service project spread to a neighboring college community where students formed their own "Backpacks for the Homeless" project on campus.
As a senior this past year, I wanted to attack my service project with newfound energy to support both the community where I live (Calhoun, Ga.) and the community where I attend school (Rome, Ga.). As vice president of the Y-Cabinet, I partnered "Backpacks for the Homeless" with the Y-Cabinet's annual Thanksgiving Project. Linking these two projects allowed my project to attract over 700 new participants and to further expand to meet more needs in my community.
It is inspiring to me to know that this simple idea could transform into a project that truly affects the homeless population in my community. My goal is to maintain this project and spread the idea as I continue my studies and increase awareness of the growing statistic of homelessness prevalent in today's world.
“Backpacks for the Homeless” has enabled me to truly empathize with people from disparate backgrounds and through my service I have gained a compassionate understanding for the physical hardships students my age face outside of school.
Editor's Note: Natalie Collins ('15) was named Volunteer of the Year by The Bridge in Gordon County for her dedication and hard work during the past four school years with Family Connection. Last April, she was recognized for servant leadership at the Gordon County Volunteer Banquet. Natalie was Valedictorian of Darlington's Class of 2015 and will attend the University of Virginia in the fall. She is the daughter of Rozanne and Forrest Collins of Calhoun, Ga.
