Bags For Buddies
When JackEdward Schmick entered the foster care system as a child, his belongings were carried in a trash bag.
For a child experiencing an already overwhelming transition, that moment left a lasting impression. A trash bag may be practical, but it can also send a message to a child about how their belongings—and, in turn, how they feel—are valued.
After being adopted at age ten, JackEdward never forgot that experience.
In 2016, he founded Bags For Buddies with a simple goal: to make sure children entering foster care have something of their own to carry their belongings in—something that represents dignity, comfort, and hope instead of uncertainty.
What began as one young person's effort to help children in his community has grown into a movement powered by volunteers, donors, partners, caseworkers, and communities across New Jersey, with a vision to eventually reach children nationwide.
