A college student in San Francisco developed a solar-powered backpack that provides people experiencing homelessness with shelter, power, and basic supplies, Good Good Good reported.
Zac Clark moved to the city's Tenderloin neighborhood while at the University of San Francisco and began interacting with unhoused residents living near his building.
They shared that keeping their phones charged was a challenge, adding that they often lost items to theft or the elements.
Clark started The HomeMore Project and built the Makeshift Traveler backpack in response.
A solar panel sits atop the pack, feeding energy into a rechargeable battery, and the shell comes from repurposed water bottles. One full charge powers a smartphone several times over.
Inside, Clark packed items like a pillow, a raincoat, a flashlight, and hygiene products. A sleeping bag and a tent can be attached to the pack's exterior.
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The pack also includes a secure box for storing important items and a guide listing nearby organizations that provide services to people without homes. Clark describes the kit as a complete survival kit in one durable package.
"The Makeshift Traveler was designed to be the last backpack someone experiencing unsheltered homelessness will ever need," Clark explained.
His organization began distributing packs in fall 2022, and since then, over 1,200 people across two dozen California communities have received them at no charge. The group now plans to send out 2,000 more through collaborations with supporters in new regions.
The use of solar technology allows people experiencing homelessness to keep their phones charged without access to electrical outlets, helping them stay connected to job opportunities, family, and emergency services.
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Anyone needing a pack can submit a request on The HomeMore Project's website. Supporters can contribute financially to expand manufacturing or support Clark's future goal of creating transitional housing for people moving off the streets.
As one supporter on Reddit wrote, "Refreshing to see in a world where a few have so much and couldn't care less."
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