How we got started

When Hurricane Helene hit, we lost cell service for about 24 hours and power for five days. While it was frustrating, once cell service returned, I learned it was nothing compared to the horrors Western North Carolina was facing. I couldn’t stop watching the reports of the devastation and the loss of life. It shook me to the core. I thought about the families and the kids, and my own kids. How they’re safe and have their stuffed animals to snuggle, food to eat, and toys to play with. And then I pictured the children in WNC. It made me so sad and I felt a push to do something—to find a way to help these kids. I decided that backpacks would be a good way to help. I wanted it easy to transport and easy for volunteers to hand out. I wanted items of comfort, items for entertainment, and essentials for these kiddos that now had nothing, and with it getting colder they’d need items to stay warm.

With these thoughts, “Back to play” was born. I sprung into action posting to my ISR business Instagram page and my personal page. While I was teaching swim lessons that day, I received my first donation. I had called my husband that morning about my idea and by the time he had returned from work, I had purchased a domain, started an Instagram page, and received my first donation. I had items purchased to start making backpacks that night. The support was amazing—it came fast and furious. I was an official 501c3 within 5 days.

We understand that the road to recovery for these families will be long, and our goal is to provide tangible support to help ease their pain, even if just a little. I wanted this project to be hands-on, encouraging community involvement, and I believe that together, we can bring smiles to the faces of these children during such a trying time.