Education United States Project #9496

Help At-Risk and Homeless Children in Portland

by Global Backpack Project

Project Report | Jun 25, 2014
Help children start school on the right foot.

By Karla Bean and Emmanuelle Jarmon | project Leaders

Backpack Run

Greeting from Global Backpack Project.

Summertime is here! What are your plans for these next few months? Here at Global Backpack Project we are busy planning our third annual Backpack Run which will take place on August 17th at Cook Park in Tigard, Oregon. Through the Backpack Run, we seek to engage, inspire, and have fun! This community event benefits homeless and vulnerable girls and boys by providing sturdy new backpacks and school supplies to those who might otherwise start school without the tools they need to succeed.

With a new location this year, we are pleased to offer a timed 5K run/walk event as well as a 1 mile kids challenge and a 1/2 mile kids dash. Enjoy music, activities for the kids, and food and drinks - fun for the whole family! More information and complete event details are available by visiting the GBP website.

THE DETAILS
Where: Cook Park, Tigard
When: Sunday, August 17th, 2014
Who: All are welcome! Run or walk at your own pace to put a smile on a child’s face.
Why: To help kids start school on the right foot. To deliver new backpacks and supplies to at-risk children and youth.

RACE SCHEDULE
7:30am Packet pick-up
9:00am 5K Timed Run/Walk
10:00am One Mile Kids Challenge
10:20am 1/2 Mile Kids Dash
10:30am Prizes and Awards

RACE HIGHLIGHTS
Music, face painting, food and drinks, beautiful wooded race route.

5K TIMED RUN/WALK
$25 – Early bird rate through July 15, 2014
$30 – July 16 through August 16th at 11:59pm

AGE 17 AND UNDER (5K RUN/WALK)
$18 - Through August 16th at 11:59pm

First 300 5K registrants will receive a canvas tote bag. Please register early.

KIDS 1 MILE CHALLENGE AND KIDS ½ MILE DASH
$10
1 Mile and ½ Mile participants will receive a race t-shirt (youth size) on race day.

Links:

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Feb 19, 2014
GBP Volunteers Visit Goose Hollow Family Shelter

By Karla Bean | Co-Founder

Oct 17, 2013
Portland and Vancouver Kids Start School on the Right Foot

By Karla Bean and Samir Naser | Founders

Back to School Fun Run

Greetings from Global Backpack Project.

The back-to-school season was a great success, thanks to the support of our local community and partner organizations. More than 400 children in Portland and Vancouver will have sturdy new backpacks and school supplies for the school year. Thanks to you, they have the necessary tools for a successful and productive year.

In Multnomah County alone, 46% of children are considered poor or low-income. That's nearly half of all children in the community. This year, GBP provided new backpacks and school supplies to organizations that support at-risk children in the Portland/Vancouver area: Portland Homeless Family Solutions, Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), Second Step Housing, and New Avenues for Youth.

Thank you to our local community and business partners for taking part in our back-to-school fundraising activities this year. Our second annual Back to School Fun Run on August 25th was a great success, raising more than $12,000 in funds and donated backpacks and supplies. Through the Back to School Fun Run, we aim to foster community involvement by putting backpacks and school supplies in the hands of children so they may have the opportunity to reach their full potential. We all had a wonderful time at the Fun Run and look forward to next year.

The 2013 GBP Benefit Raffle concluded on October 4th and was a huge success. Portland resident Ron Herring and his family organized, procured local prizes and donated a week in Belize for the grand prize. The raffle raised nearly $4000 for GBP. Many thanks to Cap'n Ron and to the local business and individuals who contributed to the benefit raffle.

GBP is pleased to have Umpqua Bank as a new partner in our efforts to support at-risk children in Portland and Vancouver. Our friends at Umpqua Bank sponsored the Back to School Fun Run, provided free ice cream to participants at the fun run, held a backpack and school supply drive at the Multnomah Village branch, and awarded GBP a grant for backpacks and supplies. We are grateful for everything Umpqua has done to make this year our best year yet.

Our friends at Eddie Bauer in Washington Square had a terrific backpack drive on August 10th, collecting 41 high-quality backpacks for GBP. They also sponsored the water station at the fun run, making sure our runners stayed hydrated and healthy at the event. Stay tuned for the next backpack drive at the Eddie Bauer store in Washington Square.

This year, GBP will give new backpacks and school supplies to more than 1300 homeless and at-risk girls and boys around the globe. As a nonprofit that is run entirely by volunteers, it is the dedication and hard work of committed individuals that makes this possible. We are especially grateful to our core volunteers: Brittany Stover, Darci Nielson, Emmanuelle Jarmon, Jennifer Donovan, Lynn Joyce, Reena Gupta and Thad Jarmon. They have contributed countless hours to ensure children have the tools they need to succeed in school and life.

GBP is pleased to be part of such a great community. Thank you for making a difference.

With gratitude,

Karla Bean and Samir Naser

Founders

Umpqua Bank Ice Cream Truck

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