Backpacks of Hope

Kids in Moore, Okla., the Midwest town recently ravaged by a twister, received a gift of hope from Long Beach this week.

Project 11561, a local group of volunteers, sent backpacks filled with “care kits” to the Oklahoma town that is reeling from a tornado that killed 23 and injured 377 people. The group received donations of clothes, pajamas, books, toys, food and blankets, which it packaged into backpacks for all different ages. Each backpack had a note that read, “We are stronger than Sandy. You will be tougher than a twister. Stay safe and be strong.”

Jessie Farrell, one of the founders of Project 11561, said the organizers initially thought that they’d be able to make about 30 backpacks. But when the truck shipped off for Oklahoma last Friday, it had 500 backpacks in tow, along with additional donated supplies.

The 18-wheeler, whose services and driver were donated to the project, arrived in Moore on Monday, where volunteers unloaded the backpacks at a local bowling alley. Farrell said the owners of Rockville Centre Lanes, where the donations were initially stored, used their bowling connections to find an alley in Moore that would serve as the drop off point for the donations.

Project 11561 was founded in January by Farrell, and fellow Long Beach residents Heather O’Grady, Allison Kallelis and Jackie Wilkinson. Its mission is to fundraise and organize events that beautify and promote Long Beach, and to motivate the community to participate in such efforts and take pride in their city.

“The four of us had the same vision of being able to bring some beauty and love to Long Beach,” said Farrell. “It just evolved from there.”

Some of its projects include the Earth Day cleanup and the stars of hope that children painted at the Unsound Art Show last month. Farrell said the group has many projects in the works, but its current focus is a painted tile wall that they will be installing in the West End. Project 11561 teamed up with Earth Arts to have kids paint tiles, which a local mason, who has donated his services, will install.

“These are the kind of things that are starting to pop up that I think will make Long Beach unique and geared towards the arts,” said Farrell. “And ultimately that will make people want to move here.”

In May, Project 11561 received a proclamation from the city, in recognition of their service to the community. Farrell said the city has been supportive of any idea they have proposed.

“We are all dreamers and have these big aspirations,” said Farrell. “What we really care about is beautifying Long Beach. That’s what really motivated us.”