Meet Laura Linville | Director of Development at Backpack Society

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Linville and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
June Everett filed the paperwork to start Backpack Society back in 2019, she had grown up in Southern Colorado in a low-income area and always wanted to give back in some way. She talked to her husband about wanting to help kids who might be facing food insecurity and he suggested she go talk to their local school to see if there was a need close to them. So, June spoke with ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado and they said they had several families on free and reduced lunch and could definitely use food support on weekends and school breaks. So, it was decided the school would hold a food drive and the program would be kicked off with those families right after spring break. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit and the students didn’t return back to school, but they had already had the food drive. So, June decided these kids were even more in need of food support given they weren’t at school now so she started delivering boxes of food to the students doors and then eventually meeting them in a church parking lot so they could pick up boxes of food. Once students were able to go back to school then we could carry out the program how it was first envisioned. Students who signed up for the program receive a bag of food to put in their backpacks every Friday so they have enough food to get them through the weekend. We also continued the boxes of food and families can come pick up a box of fresh food every week they signed up on Thursday evenings to help them get through the weekend. We are now in over 48 schools in Douglas County, Littleton and Englewood School Districts serving kids with our student bag program and box program. We also have a crisis box program so that students and families who are in crisis whether because of a house fire or a student is couch surfing we have ready to go boxes with enough food and toiletries to get through 24 hours. Our last program is our school pantry program where we provide little snacks so that teachers aren’t buying snacks for kids who don’t have any, instead we provide schools with little snacks to give to students who don’t have any. Students and families can sign up on our website to receive bags of food that are delivered to their schools and/or to pick up family boxes of food every week on Thursday evenings. We are also opening a marketplace where families can come and “shop” for their own food. I got involved with Backpack Society in 2022 and have truly enjoyed my time helping us expand into Littleton and Englewood school districts and into more schools in Douglas County.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I originally got my degree in Biology and Business with plans to have a job in the medical industry, after working a few years in the medical industry I stayed home with my kids and started spending a lot of my time volunteering. While my kids were young I spent a lot of time volunteering at their school as PTA president, helping with student council, and helping in the classrooms. I eventually became a substitute teacher as well as continuing to volunteer in the community. When my kids were older Backpack Society reached out to me to get some help with an auction they were putting together. After helping with the auction I decided to stay and become the Events Manager and then eventually the Director of Development and Vice President. Backpack Society has a mission to feed kids so they can grow, learn and thrive and I have a huge heart for helping kids. I want people to know that it is so important to find an organization in their community that speaks to them and help in whatever way you can. The best thing about Backpack Society is that every little bit helps and everyone has the ability to help. We have volunteers as young as 4 years old all the way up into their 90’s and there is something for everyone to do. Even kids who are younger than 4 help drive bags of food to schools with their parents! I also want people to know you don’t have to give a huge amount of money or a huge amount of food or a huge amount of time; every little bit is appreciated and helps because together we make a huge difference and we appreciate every little bit! Every time we are feeding a kid in our community we are providing them with the chance to learn and go on to do something great with their life some day and making the future brighter!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them to Red Rocks to see a movie on the rocks or a concert, I would also take them to Glenwood Springs because I have the best memories there. My Grandparents live there I went there all the time growing up, we would go to the pool, hike up to Hanging Lake, eat at Smoke BBQ, the Italian Underground, and get some donuts at Coloradough. While we were down here in this area we would go eat at Sazon, Cranellis, and get some ice cream at Gelato and Co. and the milk can Little Man Ice Cream. While we were close to Little Man we would have to stop by my favorite lobster roll place, Maine Shack. I also love to take visitors to Castlewood Canyon. We live in such a great place with so much to do I have never run out of places to go and see!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We have an incredible community of volunteers that make what we do at Backpack Society possible. Everyone volunteers their time to donate food, donate time, donate their money or donate their talents to Backpack Society. Every week we have countless volunteers doing all the things required behind the scenes to make Backpack Society work. We have volunteers who pick up food, some who order food, pack food, organize food drives, help with the website, hand out food boxes, deliver bags to the schools, pack bags of food, collect donations, talk with community members and so much more. We also have incredible corporate sponsors who donate their money, but also their time and expertise to help us do what we do!! We have an advisory board comprised of community members who all add their expertise in their fields to help us serve the community in the correct way, they volunteer their time to advocate for us and to help us reach those we need to. Without everyone’s support we would not be able to do all we do.

Website: https://www.backpacksociety.org

Instagram: @backpacksocietyco

Linkedin: Backpack Society

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/backpacksocietyco/

Youtube: @backpacksocietyco