Parents,
stay positive!
Coming in from the cold
Student’s nonprofit gives sleeping bags to the homeless
Anyone who doubts that one person can make
a difference should meet Noah Rupp. The
Providence High School ninth-grader is only 15
but he’s already started his own charity to help
shelter the homeless.
Noah’s Ark Project began last fall when he and his
father, Mark Rupp, were on vacation in Asheville.
Walking back to their hotel, they noticed a man
who appeared to be homeless and was shivering
from the cold.
“On that trip, I noticed many unsheltered people
who were not equipped for the weather,” said
Noah. “The images stuck with me. I had to do
something to help.”
When they returned to Charlotte, Noah
researched what types of products could help a
person stay warm. It led him to a bright orange,
lightweight sleeping bag designed to be used as an emergency shelter. They
are waterproof, windproof, heat reflective and can be used year-round.
“Portability is a necessity for people who have nowhere to call home and
nowhere to store anything so this product was perfect,” said Noah.
They built a website and set out to raise $15,000 for the first shipment of
1,000 sleeping bags. Noah, by then an eighth-grader at South Charlotte
Middle, presented his project to his classmates. Most were very supportive
and helped him with his first fundraiser — a garage sale.
“I was a bit naïve,” said Noah. “I thought we’d raise the money right away
and distribute the bags that winter. It’s taken more than a year to reach the
goal. It taught me to be more resourceful.”
“Our big break really came when I started reaching out to churches,” Noah
said. “They were very receptive and supportive. Park Road Baptist Church
was the first to invite me to address the congregation. I’m thankful they
gave me the opportunity because we saw a rise in donations.”
The next step is to deliver the sleeping bags this fall. Noah is collaborating
with the Urban Ministry Center in Charlotte for the distribution and is
looking for a partner organization in Asheville.
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To find out more, go t