The District Magazine Volume 1 Issue 1, 2016 | Page 41

With an army of one, Chad started a grassroots
initiative to provide Blessing and Care Kits (BACK)
to distribute to the homeless. After challenging
his friends on social media to help him give BACK
packs filled with essential items such as bottled
water, flashlights, shampoo, toothpaste, clothing,
snacks, portable phone chargers, and umbrellas,
he set a modest goal of collecting 20 BACK packs
to give to the homeless. Within days, the local
advertising agency, MCA/RJA, caught wind of his
effort and offered to write a press release to help
spread the word. MCA/RJA also partnered with
Chad by giving their employees the opportunity
to participate in the Give BACK Tampa homeless
project. According to Chad, the MCA/RJA’s
assistance was a game changer. Word spread
quickly and several companies reached out to
help. Ed Suyak, The District’s publisher and
Channel District Community Alliance (CDCA)
board member, invited Chad
to a CDCA meeting after
learning about the initiative.
The CDCA is a neighborhood
association. Suyak’s intentions
were to provide Give BACK
Tampa the opportunity to
share their mission with the
association board and members. The CDCA not
only listened but, after careful consideration,
and a motion by the associations Vice President,
Vance Arnett, they pledged their support in the
form of donating 10 BACK packs.
As the BACK packs trickled in, so did the local
businesses of