What's In A Backpack
What's In A Backpack
The Blue Ribbon Project's Backpacks of Love program provides backpacks directly to children entering care. Each backpack is age and gender specific and contains 24-48 hours of NEW essential and comfort items. The backpacks are delivered to youth as soon as they enter foster care (ideally within a couple of hours). Below, you will find a list of each age and gender and what is included in a backpack for that child.
If you or your organization are building backpacks to donate, we have a huge favor to ask of you. Please print the packing list for the backpack you choose. Then, use that page to check off items you are placing in the backpack. Leave that printed page inside the backpack. We will check that list to see any missing items and add them.
A few tips:
- Every little contribution helps children and youth entering foster care. If you want to fill an entire backpack for an age group, that would be wonderful. If you just want to donate clothes or toys, that's still very helpful. Do not feel obligated to purchase everything on the list if that's outside of your budget.
- These backpacks are designed for the first 24 to 48 hours in care. For toiletries, you can use either travel-size or full-size bags.
- Children's development can vary, especially when it comes to abused or neglected children. For instance, a child may use a pacifier much later than your child did.
- Kids come in all shapes and sizes, which makes purchasing clothing tricky. Please make sure pants have elastic waists and can stretch.
- If you are packing your backpack, you do not have to include everything on this list. It is essential to get these items to children; however, we do not want you to break the budget. This is why we ask that you print and include the checklist so our staff knows what needs to be added to your backpack.
- Please ensure all items in the backpack are NEW, ideally with tags still attached. We want the kids receiving these bags to know that everything in them is new.
Contents of Each Backpack
Below is a list of all backpacks available by age and gender. If you are filling your own backpack to donate, please print the page and check off the items as you include them in the backpack. This helps our team sort through each backpack and add any items that may not be included.
Boy Infants (0-6 Months of Age)
Boy Infants (6-12 Months of Age)
Boy Infants (12-18 Months of Age)
Boy Toddler (18-24 Months of Age)
Boys 2-3 Years of Age
Boys 3-4 Years of Age
Boys 4-5 Years of Age
Boys 5-6 Years of Age
Boys 6-7 Years of Age
Boys 7-8 Years of Age
Boys 8-9 Years of Age
Boys 9-10 Years of Age
Boys 10-11 Years of Age
Boys 11-12 Years of Age
Boys 12-13 Years of Age
Boys 13-14 Years of Age
Boys 14-15 Years of Age
Boys 15-17 Years of Age
Girl Infants (0-6 Months of Age)
Girl Infants (6-12 Months of Age)
Girl Infants (12-18 Months of Age)
Girl Toddler (18-24 Months of Age)
Girls 2-3 Years of Age
Girls 3-4 Years of Age
Girls 4-5 Years of Age
Girls 5-6 Years of Age
Girls 6-7 Years of Age
Girls 7-8 Years of Age
Girls 8-9 Years of Age
Girls 9-10 Years of Age
Girls 10-11 Years of Age
Girls 11-12 Years of Age
Girls 12-13 Years of Age
Girls 13-14 Years of Age
Girls 14-15 Years of Age
Girls 15-17 Years of Age
Drop Off Locations
Drop Off Locations
The Blue Ribbon Project has partnered with various businesses and organizations throughout the region to offer convenient locations for dropping off donations.
If you have a local business and wish to partner with us as a drop-off location, please Contact Us
Fence & Deck Connection
Fence and Deck Connection (2 locations):
8057 Veterans Hwy, Millersville, MD 21108: Phone: 410-969-4444
1544 Whitehall Road, Annapolis, MD 21409: Phone: 410-757-5511
The David Orso Team
8 Evergreen Road
Severna Park, Maryland 21146
Phone: (443) 372-7171
My Mental Health LLC
My Mental Health LLC
1600 Crain Hwy S #503, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
Phone: (443) 354-1200
Re/Max Experience
3820 Mountain Road, Suite H
Pasadena, MD 21122
Located in Pastore's Plaza
Phone: 410-255-0000
Nando's PERi-PERi Chicken in Waugh Chapel
1403 S Main Chapel Way, Ste 111
Gambrills, MD 21054
Phone: (443) 302-6225
La Plata (MD) Police Department:
101 La Grange Ave
La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: (301) 934-1500
Dockside Dermatology
8601 Veterans Highway
Millersville, MD 21108
Phone: (410) 934-5400
-
39.122238,-76.637520
Fence & Deck Connection-Millersville
8057 Veterans Hwy
Millersville, MD 21108
Phone: 410-969-4444
-
39.022209,-76.424591
Fence & Deck Connection-Annapolis
1544 Whitehall Road
Annapolis, MD 21409
Phone: 410-757-5511
-
38.975160,-76.540900
Annapolis Subaru
149 Old Solomons Island Rd.
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: (667)318-4970
-
39.0252552,-76.6056948
The Blue Ribbon Project
45 Community Place
Crownsville, MD 21032
Phone: (800) 757-8120
-
39.1443943,-76.6326522
My Mental Health LLC-Glen Burnie
1600 Crain Hwy S #503
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
Phone: (443) 354-1200
-
39.1239787,-76.5235769
Re/Max Experience
3820 Mountain Road, Suite H
Pasadena, MD 21122
Phone: 410-255-0000
-
38.927371978759766,-76.57467651367188
Truist Bank-Edgewater
80 Central Ave W
Edgewater, MD 21037
Phone: (410)956-3144
-
38.9918855,-76.6994115
Kozy Beans Coffee
2211 Defense Hwy
Crofton, MD 21114
-
39.03176498413086,-76.68447875976562
Nando's PERi-PERi Chicken in Waugh Chapel
1403 S Main Chapel Way, Ste 111
Gambrills, MD 21054
Phone: (443) 302-6225
-
38.9422118,-76.5623537
Starbucks-Edgewater
3059 Solomons Island Rd
Edgewater, MD 21037
Phone: (410) 956-8206
-
38.5287,-76.977029
La Plata (MD) Police Department
101 La Grange Ave
La Plata, MD 20646
Phone: (301) 934-1500
-
39.071290,-76.547880
The David Orso Team of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Pen Fed Realty
8 Evergreen Road
Severna Park, Maryland 21146
Phone: (443) 372-7171
-
39.093889,-76.622680
Dockside Dermatology
8601 Veterans Highway
Millersville, MD 21108
Phone: (410) 934-5400
Backpacks of Love
When our founder, Taylor, first entered foster care, the Department of Social Services and a police officer came to his school. As he was eating lunch with friends, an administrator came to the table and pulled him away to the office. This was the moment Taylor entered foster care. Taylor was unable to go home to retrieve any belongings. Taylor entered care with the clothing he was wearing and the school books he had with him.
While Taylor's story starts in the 1980s and there have been many great improvements since then in how the system works, one thing that has not improved is the condition of a child entering care. When these children enter care, it is normally an emergency situation and things happen very quickly. In most cases, these children have very little. To add insult to injury, the few items these children have are often thrown in trash bags. There is absolutely no reason a child's belongings should be in a trash bag.
This is where The Blue Ribbon Project's "Backpacks of Love" steps in to support these kids entering care at a moment's notice.
Our Backpacks contain essential necessities for kids of all ages who are entering the system. Each backpack is designed to be gender and very age-specific. These backpacks include such things as a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, children's soap/body wash, children's shampoo, changes of clothing for the child's age, personal clothing (underwear, socks, pajamas), and age-appropriate books and toys.
The way the process works is The Blue Ribbon Project has backpacks standing by and ready to go. Department of Social Services calls The Blue Ribbon Project right when a child is being removed. A member of The Blue Ribbon Project immediately takes a backpack to the child's location. This can be at the offices of Social Services, a hospital, or a police department. On a few occasions, we have met in a shopping center on the side of the road. The goal is to get a backpack to these children quickly and efficiently.
Boy Infants (0-6 Months of Age)
- 10 size 1 diapers (in a ziplock bag)
- 10 size 2 diapers (in a ziplock bag)
- Baby wipes
- Diaper cream/rash cream
- Baby lotion
- Baby shampoo or wash
- Baby brush/comb
- New (in package) pacifier
- New (in package) baby bottle
- Lightweight head cap
- 4 Onesies (2 sized 3 months, and 2 sized 6 months)
- 1 outfit size 0-3 or 3 months (or baby footie pajamas)
- 1 outfit size 3-6 or 6 months (or baby footie pajamas)
- 1 pack of baby socks or booties
- Bib
- Teether
- Burping cloth
- Nightlight
- Receiving blanket
- Age appropriate toy
- Stuffed animal
- Board book
Girl Infants (0-6 Months of Age)
- 10 size 1 diapers (in a ziplock bag)
- 10 size 2 diapers (in a ziplock bag)
- Baby wipes
- Diaper cream/rash cream
- Baby lotion
- Baby shampoo or wash
- Baby brush/comb
- New (in package) pacifier
- New (in package) baby bottle
- Lightweight head cap
- 4 Onesies (2 sized 3 months, and 2 sized 6 months)
- 1 outfit size 0-3 or 3 months (or baby footie pajamas)
- 1 outfit size 3-6 or 6 months (or baby footie pajamas)
- 1 pack of baby socks or booties
- Bib
- Teether
- Burping cloth
- Nightlight
- Receiving blanket
- Stuffed animal
- Board book
