You have to get it on the court. Meet and be with people where and how they are. Actively look for what will make a difference and don’t let the status quo get in the way.

Martin Luther King observed, “it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps.”

Rick Clark of Spokane is the guy that gets folks the boots, or in this case…backpacks half-filled with clothing, toiletries, food and other essentials, allowing space for people to fill with their own possessions.

His Facebook group, Giving Back Packs, has given out over 2100 backpacks to the homeless in Spokane.

Once homeless himself, he knows firsthand the challenge of going without. Improving one’s life while having little resource is a special kind of challenge. For example, schooling didn’t always come easy.  Rick said, “I realized I was so far behind in my grades because I was always hungry.” Since 2015, Rick has gone back to school. With help from the food bank at Spokane Community College and Second Harvest Inland Northwest, he is now finishing his bachelor’s degree at Gonzaga University.