Backpack Beds

Your Rotary dollars at work!

 In 1992 Tony Clark from Australia was a Rotary Youth Exchange student. After he graduated from college, became an IT entrepreneur, and married Lisa, Tony became a Rotarian. Tony was inspired to start the nonprofit , Swags for Homeless , in 2007 when he saw so many homeless people in Australia turned away from shelters. Tony's design of the Backpack Bed has won four global product design awards. 

  Over 100 of Tony's beds were sent to New Jersey & New York to aid those displaced by Hurricane Sandy. District 7500 (New Jersey) aided in the first U.S. distribution of the Backpack Beds. 60 beds were also donated to Chicago, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles.  

  After communicating with Tony via e-mail & phone, I proposed the service project of donating backpack beds to the Gospel Rescue Mission to our Rio Grande board members in November, 2013.

  On February 25th, it was with great pleasure that our club presented 4 Backpack Beds to Bob Jeska, director of the Gospel Rescue Mission. He will give each backpack bed to a homeless person who will complete a survey which must be returned to Swags for Homeless.

  Thank you to the board for approving the funds allocated to this project. Essentially, all 70 plus members participated in providing a warm bed for 4 homeless people in Las Cruces, NM!    

    "Service Above Self"

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