Homeless youth
Children and teens without a fixed, regular place to sleep. That can mean doubled up with another family, staying in a motel, a car, a shelter or a campground.
About us
Neighbors looking out for local youth
The Montana Backpack Project is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting homeless and unaccompanied youth in Bozeman and Belgrade. We want every young person here to know they are not alone and not forgotten.
Our story
It started with a simple question
What does a child need when they don't have a steady place to sleep? The answer was not complicated. Warm clothes. Something to eat. Basic hygiene supplies. A bag to carry it all in.
So we started packing. Friends brought socks. Local businesses opened their lobbies for drop-offs. Families filled stockings with hats and gloves. Today the work runs on volunteers and on the generosity of people who live here.
We are small on purpose. Every pack is put together by someone in this community, for someone in this community.
Packing night. Every bag is filled by hand.
Who we serve
The youth we pack for
We work with the adults who already know these young people, so packs reach the right hands without anyone having to ask in public.
Unaccompanied youth
Young people who are not living with a parent or guardian. Many are 15 to 18 and trying to finish school while taking care of themselves.
Our mission
No young person in our community should feel alone and unsupported.
The reason we pack every bag.
Who we are
Run by volunteers
Our volunteers are parents, students, retirees and local business owners. Some give one evening a year. Some run a drive every season.
Nobody needs special training to help. If you can sort socks and write a kind note, there is a place for you here.