The pack itself
A sturdy backpack or duffel that looks like every other child's. Something they can carry to school without a second look.
Bozeman and Belgrade, Montana
No child in our valley should carry it alone
Some young people in our valley are facing homelessness and unstable housing before they finish high school. They sleep on couches, in cars, or find their way on their own. We pack backpacks with warm clothes, food, hygiene supplies and a handwritten note from a neighbor. It is a simple reminder that they are seen, valued and not alone.
Every pack we fill goes to a young person in Bozeman or Belgrade.
Gifts and drop-offs by December 9 go into this winter's packs.
999
backpacks packed for youth in Bozeman and Belgrade since 2019
What goes in a pack
Every bag is packed by hand
We pack for the season and for the age of the child who will carry it. Here is what usually goes inside.
Warm layers and dry socks
Hats, gloves, scarves and several pairs of wool socks. Montana winters are long, and dry socks are the item youth workers ask for most.
Hygiene supplies
Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and lip balm, all in travel sizes. Small things that make it easier to start the day feeling like yourself.
Food and a fresh haircut
Gift cards for sandwiches, groceries and haircuts, plus a card with a few kind words.
How it works
From your hands to theirs
1
You give
Money, a few things from the packing list, a box of socks, or an evening of your time. All of it counts.
2
We pack
Volunteers sort donations and fill bags by age, size and season at packing nights around town.
3
A child gets what they need
School staff and youth workers who already know these youth hand the packs over, quietly and privately.
Why we do this
They sit in the same classrooms
Youth homelessness in Bozeman is easy to miss. It rarely looks like a tent. It looks like a fifteen year old staying with a friend's family, or a senior working nights and living out of a car.
A backpack does not fix that. It does give a child dry socks, something to eat and a reason to believe someone in this town noticed them.
Before the first snow
Winter comes early here
Cold nights start in October in the Gallatin Valley. A gift now puts a warm pack in a child's hands before the first real storm.
Donations received by December 9 go into this winter's packs.
Financial donations for the Montana Backpack Project can be made directly through Stockman Bank by contributing to The Montana Backpack Project account.
Montana Backpack Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 33-1427122. Gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Pitch in
Three ways to help this month
Pick the one that fits your week. Every pack is a group effort.
Give money
Cash lets us buy what donations miss: the right sizes, extra socks and gift cards for food.
Give today →Volunteer
Sort, pack, write notes or deliver. Most packing nights take about two hours.
Join a packing night →Host a drive
Turn your office, school or church into a drop-off spot for a few weeks. We give you the list.
Start a drive →