United Military Care Backpacks for Homeless Veterans

East Cobb Rotary allocated approximately $1,700 from proceeds of our annual Dog Days of Summer Road Race to support a service project benefiting homeless veterans in our community. In prior years this initiative had been funded through a grant from Rotary District 6900; however, this year the club selected a different grant project and instead dedicated race proceeds to ensure this important effort continued.

The project focused on assembling backpacks filled with essential supplies for veterans in Cobb County experiencing housing insecurity. East Cobb Rotary partnered with United Military Care (UMC), a nonprofit organization that supports veterans and their families across the region. UMC provided the backpacks, and club members purchased high-need, sustainable items that are included in the kits to help veterans meet immediate health and food needs while beginning the process of stabilizing and reconnecting with community resources.

UMC distributes many of these backpacks through its Veterans Support Network and also supplies them to the Cobb County Police Department, where officers carry them in their patrol vehicles. When officers encounter a homeless veteran, they can immediately provide a backpack containing essential items and help transport the individual to a shelter or appropriate support services.

Each backpack assembled by East Cobb Rotary members included hygiene products, non-perishable food items, and basic clothing essentials. Club members purchased the supplies and were reimbursed through the designated race proceeds. The backpacks were then assembled as a hands-on service project during a regular club meeting, giving members the opportunity to directly participate in preparing the kits.

On February 4, East Cobb Rotary delivered 75 completed backpacks to United Military Care to support veterans in need throughout Cobb County. The club also shared information about the project and its impact through our social media platforms, helping raise awareness in the community about the needs of homeless veterans and the collaborative efforts underway to support them.

This project reflects East Cobb Rotary’s commitment to combining fundraising with meaningful hands-on service, ensuring that proceeds from our community events translate directly into tangible support for those who have served our country.