Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Organizers and volunteers at the Salvation Army Boston Kroc Center in Dorchester helped prepare backpacks for the city’s homeless population on Friday.
The special distribution event organized 300 backpacks and stocked them with all kinds of essential supplies.
“[It’s] a little bit chaotic; we’ve got a lot of volunteers here organizing the belongings, organizing the items were distributing,” said Emily Mew, the director of emergency services with the Salvation Army’s Massachusetts division.
The event comes amid a winter of extreme cold and powerful storms that have brought heavy snow to Massachusetts. These conditions put people experiencing homelessness in danger.
Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
The backpacks, which were provided by the CITYPAK project and manufacturer Samsonite, are built to last in all kinds of conditions.
“They are designed specifically for people who may be on the street, they will not fall apart quickly,” said Mew.
Some fourth-grade students like Charlie were at the event helping to put the packs together by stocking them with personal hygiene items.
“So, there’s shampoo, conditioner, body cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, wipes and hand warmers,” she listed off.
Volunteers at the event also helped organize hot lunches to be offered for the homeless.
For more information about the Salvation Army Kroc Center, you can click here.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojas.bsky.social) reports.