This past Thursday, August 28th, was a powerful reminder of what’s possible when generous community foundations and grassroots organizations come together to serve those living without shelter. Across four cities in Northern California, we distributed 115 Makeshift Traveler backpacks to local partners, each equipped with essential items designed to meet the needs of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
We began the day in Woodland, California, where we partnered with Paul’s Place to deliver 35 Makeshift Travelers, made possible through a generous grant from the Swingle Foundation. Paul’s Place has long been a trusted service provider in Yolo County, and we were honored to support their outreach efforts.
From there, we traveled to Fairfield, where City Church Fairfield received 25 Makeshift Travelers, supported by a grant from the Margaret Beelard Community Foundation. Their deep connection to the local unhoused population made this a meaningful collaboration.
Our next stop was San Francisco, where we provided 25 Makeshift Travelers to the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team. This partnership helps ensure that those living on the streets of one of California’s most visible urban centers have access to practical, portable supplies that can help make daily survival a bit more manageable.
We ended the day in San Bruno, delivering 30 Makeshift Travelers to the Catholic Worker Hospitality House, a community institution known for its compassion and service. This delivery was made possible by funding from the San Bruno Community Foundation, and it marked a strong close to a day filled with collaboration, hope, and shared commitment.
As we continue delivering Makeshift Travelers throughout California, we remain grateful to every funder, faith-based group, outreach worker, and service provider who makes this work possible. Together, we’re not only handing out backpacks, we’re building relationships, restoring dignity, and showing up for people who are too often overlooked.