United Military Care Backpacks for Homeless Veterans

East Cobb Rotary allocated approximately $1,700 from proceeds of our annual Dog Days Road Race to purchase essential items for homeless veterans in our community. In prior years, this initiative was funded through a District 6900 grant; however, this year we selected a different grant project and instead designated race proceeds to support this effort.

The backpacks support veterans in Cobb County experiencing housing insecurity by addressing immediate health and food needs. United Military Care (UMC) provided the backpacks to East Cobb Rotary (ECR). Club members purchased sustainable, high-need items that UMC distributes to help veterans begin stabilizing and transitioning back into the community.

UMC supplies many of these backpacks to the Cobb County Police Department for officers to carry in their cruisers. When an officer encounters a homeless veteran, they provide a backpack and transportation to a shelter. The backpacks are also distributed through UMC’s Veterans Support Network across the community.

Each backpack includes hygiene products, non-perishable food items, and basic clothing essentials. ECR members purchased the goods and were reimbursed from designated race funds. The backpacks were assembled as a hands-on service project during our regular club meeting and delivered to UMC on February 4.

With the $1,700 allocation, ECR assembled and delivered 75 backpacks to support local veterans in need.

ECR also shared information about this service project with the community through our social media platform (link below).