Case Studies
ShowerUp Wichita
ShowerUp is a non-profit organization serving those experiencing homelessness and anyone in need by providing mobile showers, hygiene resources, and personal care. It’s their goal to Shower Grace, Hope, and Love with everyone.
Inside the ShowerUp mobile shower units, guests will find private, comfortable “shower suites” with a clean shower and sink with plenty of hot water and whatever they need to Shower Up!
ShowerUp Wichita is one of six branches serving those in housing transition. Other branches of the organization exist in Nashville TN, Huntsville AL, Chicago IL, Hartford CT, and Boston MA. All branches are supported through the gifts and donations of individuals, families, businesses, and churches, and ShowerUp Wichita uses such donations to fund an annual purchase of CITYPAKs, which are then given to their friends in need.
Like many nonprofits, gathering community members for fundraising efforts during COVID-19 presented a unique set of challenges. The winter of 2021/2022 was especially challenging with the DELTA variant peak. As such ShowerUp Wichita turned to Facebook to drive its annual fundraising, focusing their efforts on building community awareness, support and action on the platform.
They see their friends who are experiencing homelessness carrying their belongings in trash or plastic grocery bags, and know that it’s not sustainable. They want to be able to give their friends something that will keep everything secure and safe, and protect their persons from the rain and elements. They know that this is one of the ways in which they can live their mission and shower grace, hope and love in their community.
Challenges
ShowerUp Wichita has been ordering from CITYPAK annually since 2020. The PAKs are given out at Showering Events, which typically occur up to four times a month. At these events ShowerUp Wichita partners with different non-profits in their own community to help serve those they’re serving. While the PAKs are not filled with items, often the PAKs are given alongside hygiene kits or other items such as blankets or clothing, and recipients can pick what they need to go into their PAK. When recipients receive a PAK they receive so much more than just a convenient and secure way to carry everything they own.
Kristy Jackson, Local Coordinator, ShowerUp Wichita noted that they have not looked elsewhere in years and says that “if we didn’t choose CITYPAK I think we probably would spend a lot more money on other backpacks that are not as good a quality, or are smaller and /or perhaps may not last as long. We would also be asking our community to donate more money to purchasing items that aren’t sustainable, taking away donations from other valuable items we also need”.
Custom-designed by High Sierra, we’re proud that our PAKs speak to the specific needs of our partner’s communities, and that recipients feel respected, supported, and seen when gifted a PAK, something ShowerUp Wichita has experienced firsthand.
Solution
“CITYPAK backpacks represent dignity, value and worth...we see this firsthand”
Islamic Relief USA - Day of Dignity 2019 and 2020
May 31, 2021
“More than 46 million people—including 16 million children—live in poverty in the United States” - Islamic Relief USA
Founded in California in 1993, Islamic Relief USA provides relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world.
IRUSA provides emergency disaster relief and spearheads development projects in multiple sectors, including education, income generation, orphan support, health and nutrition, and water and sanitation. IRUSA directly supports international projects in these sectors in nearly 30 countries around the world. In addition to its international relief and development initiatives, IRUSA supports projects to help disadvantaged communities within the United States.
IRUSA’s Day of Dignity is a day to come together, working together for a better world. This annual event, which serves communities in over 19 cities across the USA, creates an opportunity for caring communities to provide services to their neighbors in need. Food, clothing, blankets, and hygiene kits are just some of the items distributed during Day of Dignity events. And, often, free medical care, screenings, and even barber services are provided.
Challenges
CITYPAK has proudly partnered with IRUSA since 2018 to supply much-needed high-quality backpacks to those experiencing housing transition or socioeconomic challenges. This ongoing relationship initially came about due to a mutual connection between Islamic Social Services of Oregon State and CITYPAK. Sr. Laila Hajoo (President, Islamic Social Services of Oregon State), inquired whether IRUSA would consider using a portion of the grant money they were giving them to purchase a number of CITYPAKs. Seeing the PAKs as providing something tangible that those experiencing hardship could use on a daily basis, IRUSA started purchasing the custom PAKs to give to all of their partners who requested to host distributions.
Of course, the world has experienced vast change since 2018. Much of this change has greatly impacted the communities that IRUSA’s Day of Dignity events directly serve. As a result, the number of overall PAK’s being requested by IRUSA partners has increased and alongside it, a need to adapt the delivery methods for getting the PAKs into the communities. For example, many of the 2020 Day of Dignity events became drive-thru only, with very few walk-ups, which meant that alternative options for distributing personal necessities to those in housing transition needed to be explored.
IRUSA’s Day of Dignity events are implemented via partnerships with local organizations that work year round to serve those in need in their communities.
As a key service provider for Day of Dignity, CITYPAK’s are filled by IRUSA at a national level with food, school supplies, coats, and more. Many partners at a state and city level go beyond this, ensuring the PAKs are paired with whatever those in their communities need most, such as shoes, diapers, or maternity clothes.
"I've never been more grateful to work for a nonprofit like IRUSA... to reach the most vulnerable, like those without housing, and supply them with hygiene kits and one of a kind products like the CITYPAK backpacks that they treasure and use daily as a means of security for their belongings." - Donia Abdallah, Northeast Regional Programs Coordinator, Islamic Relief USA
Donia kindly shared a story with us about an event in Mount Vernon, NY. She noticed a lady in line who was chatting amicably with those around her, and she was holding a CITYPAK. Donia approached her to say hello, and the lady shared that she wasn’t there for herself. She was in fact there for her neighbor, who had a daughter who needed diapers. Her neighbor was working three jobs to try to make ends meet and couldn’t attend the event herself, so the woman had offered to help and pick up the diapers for her.
Bringing together resources and community are two of the most important aspects of Day of Dignity: a platform crucial to starting conversations and creating the ties to be able to help one another. CITYPAK is proud to partner with IRUSA, Day of Dignity, and its network of local organizations to engage with those in need of neighborly assistance.
Solution
May 31, 2021
Center on Halsted’s Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project
Providing valuable backpacks and supplies to LGBTQ youth currently experiencing housing instability.
Center on Halsted’s Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project (which honors the memory of Sloane R. Sullivan), provides backpacks and supplies to youth program participants currently experiencing homelessness. The project is a collaborative effort between the Center, individuals, corporate donors, and other organizations advocating for the LGBTQ community.
The Center on Halsted serves more than 400 young people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, or Queer (LGBTQ), and they estimate that 50-60% of their program participants are experiencing homelessness or are, at a minimum, unstably housed.
The Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project was launched to help provide unstably housed youth with access to personal hygiene and comfort necessities. Such items - which many of us take for granted - can be scarce for young people experiencing homelessness.
Center on Halsted volunteers, Susan and Robert Sullivan spearheaded the project after learning about the housing instability of LGBTQ youth, something which in part can be partly due to family rejection as a result of coming out. As this specific population has often either been either kicked out of their homes or have run away, it is common that they carry bare necessities in worn or damaged packaging such as plastic bags.
Challenges
Already being closely associated with the Center and having relationships with many of the youth they saw being directly impacted, Susan and Robert began exploring potential solutions for providing support and help at a time of real trouble for these youth. Believing a backpack to be a possible solution, they came across the CITYPAK backpack.
While initially having some concerns about whether the PAKs would be too big, Susan and Robert soon saw that the CITYPAK backpack would provide LGBTQ youth who are living unstably a solid place to store their belongings, as well as the basic physical comfort that a sturdy, structured and high-quality backpack provides.
When they explored the PAK size and learned it not to be an issue, choosing CITYPAK became a really easy choice due to the price point of the PAKs, the specific features, and the high-quality materials.
“The CITYPAK is the centerpiece of our project to provide backpacks and supplies to unstably housed LGBTQ youth in Chicago. The high quality, durability, and special design features of the CITYPAK make it uniquely suited for this highly vulnerable population.” - Robert and Susan Sullivan, Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project Founders
After a successful pilot program in early 2018, the Center on Halsted has continued the Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project initiative to meet the constant and growing needs of their youth. The project, which runs continually, has two approaches - ‘Community Day’ and ‘Grab-n-Go’, the latter being where if someone comes in the Center who is recently unhoused and could benefit from receiving a PAK they are gifted one on the spot. The PAK’s are gifted filled with essentials recipients use on a day-to-day basis: fleece blankets, absorbent micro towels, water bottles, flip flops, first aid kits, and other hygiene supplies. Throughout the year the Center also hosts restocking days, where recipients can visit and stock up on supplies they’re running low on, demonstrating that the PAK’s also provide the Center with an opportunity for continued conversation with those they’re seeking to support.
In conjunction with the Sloane Sullivan Backpack Project CITYPAK is proud to support youth experiencing homelessness with high-quality, durable, and functional backpacks to carry and secure their belongings.
Solution
“The CITYPAK is the centerpiece of our project to provide backpacks and supplies to unstably housed LGBTQ youth in Chicago. ”