Draft for review. This is the record of a finished drive. Known gap: the total raised isn't published yet.

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Winter 2025 · Delivered

The Backpack Project

The first drive. A forty-five item list, one of each per bag unless noted, assembled from bulk orders and handed out by hand in a church parking lot on a Friday afternoon in November.

The plan was to have everything ordered by November 10th. It was ordered inside a week.

By the numbers

Backpacks
24Each one identical
Items per bag
45Plus a cycle upgrade
Ordering time
<1 wkAgainst a 3-week target
Handed out
Nov 14Vision Church, Everett

What happened

  1. The list went up on October 19th

    Forty-five items, in the order they'd be bought, with a Throne wishlist for buying items directly and Venmo or Cash App for cash. The promise from the start was screenshots of every purchase and a running total.

  2. It funded in under a week

    The target was to have everything ordered by November 10th, roughly three weeks out. Everything was ordered inside seven days.

  3. The list grew mid-drive

    Contributions came in for menstrual products, neck gaiters and water bottles, and the Cycle Complete upgrade was added to the list the same day — enough pads and liners to move from short-term relief to a full cycle.

  4. Packing, then handing out

    Bags were filled in waves as supplies arrived. The finished backpacks went out on Friday November 14th at 4pm, in the back parking lot of Vision Church Full Circle Ministry on California Street.

Needs from you before this goes public: the total raised, and whether you want the Vision Church location named on a public page.

The post that started it

Published October 19th, 2025. Reproduced as written.

At a Seattle bus stop, a man next to me wrung out his socks, put them in his bag, and pulled on a dry pair.

We said nothing, but I learned a lesson that day: fresh socks are basically gold.

That moment stayed with me. This winter I'm putting together backpack care packages for people living outside in Everett. Each bag will have practical warmth — socks, hygiene, gloves, and simple comfort items — I'm buying them one item at a time for everyone.

Every dollar goes straight to gear — no overhead, no middleman.

I'll post screenshots showing what's been purchased and running totals of what's come in. Everything that's sent in goes straight to the next item on the list. All bulk buys are the closest available pack size; any extras beyond 24 roll into the next run.

— Roots Worth Tending, October 19th 2025

The forty-five item list

In purchase order, top to bottom. One per bag unless noted — the same rule the current drive still runs on.

  1. 01Water resistant socks — 2 pairs
  2. 02Rain poncho
  3. 03Beanie
  4. 04Mylar blanket
  5. 05Underwear — 1 pair
  6. 06Lightweight gloves
  7. 07Barrier salve — mini
  8. 08Antifungal cream — small tube
  9. 09Unscented wipes — travel 10 count
  10. 10Toothbrush
  11. 11Toothpaste
  12. 12Lip balm — SPF 30
  13. 133 regular pads
  14. 14Reusable water bottle
  15. 15Peanut-butter squeeze packs — 2
  16. 16Soft cup applesauce or pudding — 2
  17. 17Protein bars — 2
  18. 18Floss picks — 10 count
  19. 19Trail mix — mini
  20. 20Electrolyte sticks — 2
  21. 21Overnight pad
  22. 22Pain reliever — 4 singles
  23. 23Adhesive bandages — 4
  24. 24Triple antibiotic ointment — 2 packets
  25. 25Alcohol wipes — 2
  26. 26Moleskin — short strip
  27. 27Neck gaiter
  28. 28Lightweight T-shirt
  29. 29Underwear — additional pair
  30. 30Flashlight — basic AAA
  31. 31AAA batteries — 4
  32. 32Whistle
  33. 33Sturdy spoon
  34. 34Discreet zip bag
  35. 35Disposal bag
  36. 36Personal wipe — unscented
  37. 37Zip bags — assorted 5
  38. 38Fold-flat reusable tote
  39. 39Hand warmers — 1 pair
  40. 40Cough drops
  41. 41Menstrual cycle-complete upgrade — enough pads and liners for full-cycle stability
  42. 42Pen
  43. 43Small notepad
  44. 44Fine-tip permanent marker
  45. 45Printed local resource sheet