Backpacks of Hope: Supporting the Humanity Pack Campaign

Affordable housing and homelessness

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

As of 2024, over 1.3 million people, Los Angeles County residents, live below the federal poverty line. Many are classified as Extremely Low-Income, earning less than 30% of the area median income. Among these households, 77% spend more than half of their income on rent, creating severe housing instability and increasing the risk of homelessness. Today, over 75,500 people are unhoused in LA County, a 9% rise from last year. We are seeing more women, children, seniors, and disabled individuals living on the streets, along with alarming increases in mental health crises and substance use. Many residents face impossible choices between basic necessities like food, hygiene items, and shelter, reinforcing the urgent need for direct, compassionate support.

This grant will support our winter Humanity Pack Campaign, a direct-action initiative that provides 5,000 backpacks filled with essential survival items such as full size hygiene products, non-perishable food item, water, socks, first-aid supplies, and weather protection to people who have a hard time accessing basic essential supplies or are experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles. More than just meeting immediate needs, the Humanity Pack Campaign creates opportunities for consistent, compassionate engagement. Each distribution helps draw individuals out of isolation, allowing our team to build trust and establish ongoing relationships. Through this approach, we’re able to connect individuals to critical services including housing referrals, mental health support, addiction recovery, and medical care offering a tangible first step toward stability and long-term change.

Once our Humanity Pack Campaign is successful, Los Angeles will be a more compassionate, connected city where people experiencing homelessness are treated with dignity and humanity. By providing essential supplies, our backpacks help individuals care for themselves, restore confidence, and take critical steps toward stability. More importantly, the campaign allows us to build trust and meaningful relationships, often the first step toward recovery, housing, and reintegration into society. Through consistent outreach, we create pathways for the unhoused to feel seen, supported, and empowered to seek long-term solutions. A successful program means fewer people in isolation and more on the road to healing.