'Make Life A Little Less Stressful': Adventurist Backpack Co. Founders Help Families During Coronavirus Pandemic
DENVER (CBS4)- The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect families across the country. For many in Colorado, they're struggling with food insecurity.
That is a big reason why local businesses like Adventurist Backpack Co. want to help their community. Denver couple Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstrom founded Adventurist Backpack Co., inspired by their travels abroad and desire to help people in need. For every backpack sold, they provide 25 meals to families in need through their partnership with Feeding America and local food banks.
"We just wanted to spread some kindness and do what we could to help out," Belknap told CBS4 in 2018. The couple joined Kelly Werthmann again for a virtual interview on CBSN Denver to explain how their company's mission to help others has changed due to the pandemic.
"With all the school closures and everything going on, we've kind of shifted focus a little bit," Sandstrom said. "Right now we're doubling our efforts. We're providing 50 meals to families in need for every backpack sold."
The couple explained they're currently supplying the meals to the COVID-19 Response Fund, started by Feeding America. Belknap said it allows them to provide support to more than 200 food banks, including Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver. Since they launched their initiative, they've provided 10,000 meals.
"Food banks, since the pandemic started, have seen a decrease in volunteer hours as well as donations and an increase in demand," Sandstrom said. "There are a lot of families affected and kids aren't able to get lunch at schools since they're closed. People are really depending on the food banks."
The company's renewed mission, her husband added, is extremely important.
"We know that tons of families across the U.S. are suffering right now and it's becoming increasingly hard to afford to pay the rent, pay for groceries," Belknap said. "What we really want to do is what we can to help make life a little less stressful."
