Gainesville woman collecting backpacks for homeless, veterans

For a local woman helping the homeless, it’s the little things that count: toiletries, clean underwear and pillows.

These are just some of the items Christina Frazier, a 27-year-old Gainesville resident, plans to put in backpacks to give to homeless people and veterans.

She began a GoFundMe page and said she hopes to raise $4,000 for supplies to fill as many bags as she can.

Frazier started the fundraiser Aug. 27, and she will keep the page up through the holiday season, she said.

The backpacks will be filled with nonperishable food and other essentials.

While volunteering for the American Red Cross Association, Frazier said she learned that she enjoyed making a difference and decided to take on a project of her own.

“I have seen firsthand how even a simple care package brings a little happiness,” she said.

Frazier is also a stay-at-home mom whose family has a history of military service, she said. Her father and husband are Army veterans, and her brother is currently serving in the military.

She hopes to have backpacks ready by November so she can start delivering them in December, Frazier said.

Her husband and her father are going to help her deliver them to homeless shelters and other groups.

Frazier said she just wants people to know others care about them.

“I want to keep this going for years to come and pass on this drive to my son so he can learn how to help others as well,” Frazier said.

Jon DeCarmine, the operations manager at Grace Marketplace, said for a homeless person with little resources, simple household items can seem like gold.

Grace Marketplace, located at 3055 NE 28th Ave., is a shelter that provides services to Gainesville’s homeless population, DeCarmine said.

But people like Frazier, who collect materials for those who need them, help a lot.

“I think for many people, the most important thing something like this does is reminds them that they’re still cared for and that there are still people who are concerned about their well-being,” DeCarmine said.

He said people sometimes take basic necessities for granted.

“Just think about when you go camping and living outside for the past week and how good it feels to take that first hot shower,” DeCarmine said. “People who are living outside are dealing with being out there all of the time. So anything that can help get them back to feeling more human is a huge asset.”