Community Helps Hope Missions Pack Hope for Those in Need

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Hundreds of people in Anderson will face the bitterest nights of winter with a little more insulation and kit gear this year, tucked into donated backpacks assembled in the echoing gym of First Presbyterian Church.

Hope Missions of the Upstate, a small faith-based nonprofit that operates a center for those in need and a warming (cooling in the summer) shelter downtown, marked its fourth annual backpack giveaway this week, with volunteers working table to table to fill about 240 bags with cold-weather gear and basic necessities.

The backpacks, sturdier than the bargain-bin versions, will be distributed not only at Hope Missions but also through The Salvation Army of Anderson, South Main Chapel & Mercy Center, Asher House and other partner agencies in the city.

The event has become part logistics drill, part holiday ritual, as organizers refine how many cases of backpacks to buy and how best to move guests through rows of supplies ranging from blankets and gloves to first-aid kits and hygiene items.

“When you see all the tables, you’ll just be amazed at all the things that we get to give out to our friends,” said Dave Phillips, Hope Mission’s organization’s chief executive and executive director, in reference to the neatly organized piles of sorted donations.

First Presbyterian Church, whose Family Life Center doubles as an indoor basketball court, hosted the packing and distribution again this year, turning its floor over to a circle of tables staffed by volunteers and “Merry Makers.”  Phillips said the church has become such a committed partner that when he calls to schedule the backpack event, the response is immediate enthusiasm, not hesitation over the calendar.

“They open the doors, they knock it out of the park,” said Phillips, noting that representatives from multiple congregations and civic groups now see the backpack day as a fixture on their December schedule.  Additional volunteers arrive in shifts, some to unpack boxes, others to guide guests through the room and a final crew to sweep and stack chairs once the last backpack is zipped.

For those unfamiliar with Hope Missions, the backpacks are a seasonal expression of work that continues long after the Christmas lights are packed away.  The organization serves breakfast six mornings a week at its South Towers Street location, assists people experiencing homelessness with identification and housing referrals, and runs Anderson County’s official warming center from November through March.

Two commitments, the executive director said, are central to the group’s identity: remaining open on holidays, when many services close, and offering a safe, warm place whenever temperatures drop to life‑threatening levels.  Staff members coordinate with law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical services and other nonprofits to spread the word that cots and coffee are available when the wind turns sharp.

This year’s backpack event drew more volunteers than ever, a surge the director credited to word of mouth and a sense among many residents that downtown’s most vulnerable neighbors should not be left to navigate winter alone. 

Hope Missions continues to seek donations of supplies, money and time as cold weather settles over the Upstate, with details about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities posted on its website, hopeupstate.org. 

“People still need something to eat, they still need a warm place to be,” said Phillips, “and they need to know they are seen and loved.”