Milford Helps Homeless with Code Backpack

Full article can be found at http://www.doverpost.com/news/20160602/milford-helps-homeless-with-code-backpack
By David Paulk
David.paulk@doverpost.com
@paulkatdover Posted Jun. 2, 2016 @ 4:10 pm

The success of Code Purple, which earned a name for itself by providing shelter for the homeless during extremely cold weather, is rubbing off.

The residents of Milford have been galvanized to start Code Backpack, a three-way partnership between the city, Milford School District and Miss Milford, Rebecca Gasperetti.

The objective is to gather old backpacks and load them with necessities like food, water and hygiene products to give to the homeless. It’s an opportunity for students to give back to those who are less fortunate.

Mayor Bryan Shupe and Gasperetti had already started thinking of ways to help the homeless. Once they came up with the idea of loading up backpacks Shupe wanted to get the community involved.

“I immediately thought the best thing we can probably do is get inside the school districts,” he said. “This way we can have the kids who are now leaving the school for the year drop off their unwanted backpacks.”

Bridgett Amory, Milford School District director of elementary education, said, “At the end of the school year typically many students do dispose of their backpacks. So what we’ve done is partnered with our Mayor Shupe and Miss Milford to make good use of those backpacks.”

Amory said there is a box in each of the six schools in the district where students can drop off backpacks. The initiative is going to run until students start summer vacation June 10.

“We are always looking for ways to give back to the community,” Amory said. “This is just one way students can participate in this process as well.”

Shupe said Milford has an overlooked homeless population. He said it isn’t as obvious like it is in larger cities—but it’s there.

“I hope this program becomes annual,” he said. “Unfortunately, throughout Delaware there are thousands of individuals who are homeless every year. We need to try to find these long term solutions for how we’ll take care of these individuals.”