The Backpack Project of Athens

What The Backpack Project of Athens does

The Backpack Project of Athens (TBP/ATH) is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2019 as a chartered chapter of The Backpack Project, Inc., a southeastern parent organization that operates across seven cities and nine universities. Based in Athens, Georgia, TBP/ATH is staffed and led primarily by University of Georgia students and faculty, with a documented 19-person leadership and staff roster covering Community Engagement, Donations and Partnerships, Volunteers, Finance, and Communications functions under Executive Director Erin Suh for the 2025-2026 term.

The organization's product surface is direct-service humanitarian aid rather than software. Core offerings include Homeless Care Backpacks containing 40+ essential items (food, toiletries, hygiene products, seasonal necessities) sourced at wholesale and bulk rates; the Saturday Meals program, which since 2019 has cooked and delivered meals weekly to local encampments along with water, bug spray, women's menstrual kits, and clothing; Street Outreach for hand-delivery to individuals experiencing homelessness; an annual Resource Fair unifying other Athens-area nonprofits; and the co-developed HELPATHENS 898-211 SMS text alert system launched with United Way of Northeast Georgia, the Athens Homeless Coalition, and the Continuum of Care. TBP/ATH has no proprietary technology platform; operations are coordinated through GivePulse (uga.givepulse.com/group/388102), GroupMe listservs, and Google Forms.

Revenue is sourced from three donation streams — individual monetary contributions accepted via Venmo, in-kind donations of goods (clothing, food, tents, water), and corporate/community organizational partnerships that contribute supplies and volunteer labor. No products or services are sold and no pricing model exists. Beneficiary reach is concentrated exclusively in Athens-Clarke County, which according to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count had 386 surveyed individuals experiencing homelessness — a 56% increase since 2015 that defines the growing market the chapter serves. Strategic positioning has incrementally aligned TBP/ATH with the Athens-Clarke County Strategic Plan to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness, executed under a $5 million municipal framework adopted in 2022.

Name

The Backpack Project of Athens

Legal name

The Backpack Project of Athens

Website

https://athens.thebackpackproject.ngo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Backpack Project of Athens is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit chapter at the University of Georgia that distributes 40+-item care backpacks, runs weekly Saturday Meals, and conducts street outreach for individuals experiencing homelessness in Athens, Georgia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Athens

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Monetary Donations: Individuals make monetary donations which are used to purchase the 40+ essential backpack items at wholesale and bulk rates through nonprofit and discount channels. Donations are accepted via Venmo.
2. Non-Monetary / In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations of clothing, food items, tents, water, and other necessities from individuals and community members. These items are incorporated into backpack assemblies and meal programs.
3. Corporate / Community Organization Partnerships: Community organizations partner through supply drives, cooking and delivery events, and backpack packing activities, contributing goods and volunteer labor to support operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Backpack Project of Athens (TBP/ATH) is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that packs and hand-delivers care backpacks containing 40+ essential items (food, toiletries, necessities) and prepares weekly meals for individuals experiencing homelessness in Athens, Georgia. Services are delivered through direct street outreach, the Saturday Meals program, backpack packing events, and an annual Resource Fair that unifies community nonprofits.

Product overview

The Backpack Project of Athens is a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a portfolio of direct-service programs addressing homelessness in Athens, Georgia. The core offerings include Homeless Care Backpacks (containing 40+ essential items), the Saturday Meals Program, Street Outreach services, and Volunteer Programs. These services are delivered through organized volunteer events and partnerships with community organizations. The organization also hosts an annual Resource Fair to unify community nonprofits. Monetary donations are accepted via Venmo, and non-monetary donations of clothing, food, tents, and water are also accepted.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Homeless Care Backpacks Backpacks assembled with 40+ essential items (food, toiletries, hygiene products, and other necessities) that are hand-delivered to individuals experiencing homelessness in Athens, Georgia. Items are purchased wholesale to maximize donation impact, tailored to seasonal needs.
• Saturday Meals Program Weekly cooking and delivery of meals to local encampments and homeless individuals in Athens, supplemented with water, bug spray, women's menstrual kits, clothing, and other client-requested necessities.
• Street Outreach Hand-delivery of meals and backpacks directly to individuals experiencing homelessness in Athens, enabling long-term recurring relationships with community members. The organization's signature differentiator.
• Volunteer Programs Weekly volunteer opportunities including tutoring at Athens Area Homeless Shelter, meal preparation and delivery, backpack packing events, and local clean-ups. All participants must complete annual mandatory volunteer training.
• Annual Resource Fair Annual community event that brings together multiple nonprofits serving the homeless population in Athens-Clarke County to deliver coordinated services and resources to those in need.
• Hygiene Kit Packing Volunteer-led packing events that assemble hygiene kits (toiletries, menstrual kits, etc.) for distribution to homeless individuals in Athens alongside backpack and meal deliveries.

Quantifiable outcome

• 386 homeless individuals surveyed in 2024 PIT Count in Athens — a 56% increase since 2015 — demonstrating the growing scale of need the organization addresses.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Continuum of Care (CoC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBP/ATH's Co-Director of Community Engagement collaborated with the Continuum of Care (a body of community leaders, service providers, and agencies working to address homelessness) to research and develop the HELPATHENS 898-211 text alert system. This system enables homeless neighbors to receive weekly updates about available services and resources via SMS. The CoC comprises Athens community leaders and agencies working selflessly on homelessness issues.
• United Way of Northeast GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three partners (alongside Athens Homeless Coalition and Continuum of Care) behind the HELPATHENS 898-211 text alert system. United Way co-developed and co-launched this free text alert system for Athens events and resources serving neighbors in need.
• Athens Homeless CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three partners behind the HELPATHENS 898-211 text alert system, alongside United Way of Northeast Georgia and Continuum of Care. The Athens Homeless Coalition works to connect homeless individuals with available services and resources in the community.
• Athens Area Homeless SheltersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTBP/ATH volunteers tutor at the Athens Area Homeless Shelter as part of the weekly volunteer program. This is one of several regular service opportunities hosted by the organization.
• The Backpack Project, Inc. (Parent Organization)coreOthersThe Backpack Project of Athens is a chapter organization of The Backpack Project, Inc., a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that operates across seven cities and nine universities in the southeast. TBP/ATH operates under the parent organization's umbrella and follows its charitable mission.
• Athens-Clarke County / City of AthenssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAthens-Clarke County developed a Strategic Plan to Reduce and Prevent Homelessness in 2022 with a $5 million budget. TBP/ATH staff collaborated with the City of Athens (specifically Hannah Savard, Community Development Specialist) to develop homelessness awareness content and coordinate community response. The organization aligns its programming with the county's strategic priorities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Mission: One of the largest Atlanta-area homeless services nonprofits, providing shelter, meals, and recovery programs. Comparable beneficiary population (homeless adults) but operates in metro Atlanta with paid staff and significantly larger scale.
• United Way of Northeast Georgia: Regional umbrella funder and partner on HELPATHENS. Comparable as a Northeast Georgia-based nonprofit addressing poverty and homelessness, with overlapping partnerships and beneficiary base, but operating at broader scale across multiple causes.
• Food Bank of Northeast Georgia: Regional food-distribution nonprofit serving the same 14-county Northeast Georgia area as TBP/ATH's Saturday Meals program. Overlaps on food-insecurity mission and beneficiary population, though it operates at much larger scale and with paid staff.
• The Backpack Project, Inc. The parent 501(c)(3) of TBP/ATH, operating across 7 cities and 9 universities in the southeast. Same model (backpacks for the homeless), broader geographic footprint, and shared brand; the most directly comparable organization by mission and offering.

Direct peers

• Backpack Buddies: National nonprofit that distributes weekend food backpacks to children facing food insecurity. Same 'backpack distribution' service-delivery model and same product format (assembled care backpacks), but focused on food-insecure children rather than the broader homeless population.
• Athens Homeless Coalition: Local coalition connecting homeless individuals to services and resources; co-developed HELPATHENS with TBP/ATH. Operates in the same beneficiary population and same Athens geography with a closely aligned service-coordination mission.
• Backpacks of Love: Nonprofit assembling and distributing backpacks of food and essentials to homeless and at-risk individuals. Directly comparable service-delivery model (assembled backpacks of essentials, hand-distributed), with overlapping mission of supporting the homeless via physical care packages.
• Campus Kitchen Project: National student-led nonprofit that recovers food and prepares meals for community members experiencing food insecurity. Closely comparable operating model (university-based, student-led, volunteer-driven, recurring meal service) and similar demographic of volunteer pipeline.

Regional players

• Project Safe Athens: Athens-based nonprofit addressing homelessness, domestic violence, and poverty. Same service geography and overlapping beneficiary base; comparable as a community-embedded nonprofit serving vulnerable populations in Athens.
• Athens Area Homeless Shelter: Local Athens-area emergency shelter where TBP/ATH volunteers tutor. Directly comparable as a community-based, Athens-focused provider of services to the same homeless population, with overlapping beneficiary base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tbpathens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Backpack Project of Athens