About Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to positively impact communities around the world by assisting travelers who want to bring meaningful contributions to the destinations they visit.
Our Philosophy
There is need everywhere in the world. It can sometimes be difficult, however, to identify specific needs in places far from home. We believe people fortunate enough to travel to other countries often wish they could make meaningful contributions to help meet the needs of the places they visit. Such contributions are one way of expressing appreciation for the experiences and hospitality they enjoyed in other lands.
Our goal is to assist travelers who want to say thank you in this manner, or who simply want to expand their generosity beyond their own communities. The supply lists for destinations on our website are provided directly by the local community-based projects that will receive them, enabling travelers to make informed decisions and bring items which meet the needs of the people who will be using them.
The genesis of the idea:
During our first trip to Africa, my husband Scott and I learned that while we were each limited to 40 pounds (18.14 kgs) of luggage on safari, the airline had an allowance of 100 pounds (45 kgs) of checked luggage plus a 40 pound (18.14 kg) carry-on. In making plans for a second trip, we looked into visiting a school near the lodge we would visit in Botswana. We contacted our safari company, Wilderness Safaris, to see if we could determine any specific needs of that school. Armed with that information, we were able to deliver 140 pounds (64 kgs) of school supplies, including soccer balls, to the school. It was enormously rewarding to be able to help the people in the community that had given us such a life-changing experience. Since then, we and a few of our fellow-travelers have made several trips to other countries in Africa and have been able to deliver an estimated 1,000 pounds (453 kgs) in donations of clothing, school and medical supplies. I asked a travel agent why other travelers did not use their luggage allowances this way. "Because nobody thinks about it," he said. That was our "aha" moment.
Scott and I knew from our experiences that bringing large amounts of supplies required a great deal of time and close logistical cooperation with the touring company. We felt we needed to come up with a simpler and more direct way for travelers to bring supplies where they were going.
By asking travelers to pack 5 lbs (2.27 kgs) of supplies, we felt we would be able to involve everyone who wanted to add value to his or her trip by participating. By delivering the supplies directly to the traveler's accommodation, it would be possible for every traveler to contribute and require no logistical support. That amount would take only a small space, require little effort and still make a big impact.
I realized that to make my idea a reality, I would need the assistance and skills of many other talented people. It is with gratitude that I would like to acknowledge and thank the people below as well as those who have agreed to serve on our Board. They have given generously and freely of their time and expertise.
Linda Auerbach, Megan Bahamonde, Maria Better, Victoria Brooks, Pam Caldwell, Nathan Cavicchi, Ann Cramer, Todd Culpepper, Kim DeWitt, Keith Dokho, Dinda Elliot, Emily Ford, Jenny Knott Gilbert, Debbie Goldberg, Eric Goldberg, Sharon Goldberg, Hazel Gooding, Brittany Goodman, Alex Hall, Mark Hall, Mona Hall, Jared Harding, Marcia Harris, David Heuser, Sherry Heuser, Noah Hubbell, Angela Bendorf Jamison, Rob Karn, David Langmeyer, Kilara Le, Angela Leimer, Robert Mungo, Susan Pepe, Bert Du Plessis, Michelle Pudu, Benji Rabhan, Tara Regimand, Joncie Sarratt, Traci Stewart, Rachel Strauss, Sid Strauss, Laura Thompson, Rebecca Tuzel, Dianna Upton, Dillon van der Veen and Michael Vidal.
Extra special thanks go to Erik Macenas who designed our Logo and our Website with unending patience and an amazing ability to work with a team.
Rebecca Rothney
Who We Are
The Members of the Board are experienced travelers and active members of their communities. Collectively they have travelled to all 7 continents and have a cumulative life experience of 356 years. The Members of the Board are actively involved with many other non-profits and committed to enhancing the global community in which they live. Additionally, the Board Members are entrepreneurs and work in corporate America.
Board of Directors:
| Rebecca Rothney | Chairperson |
| Scott Rothney | Secretary |
| Kristen Hoyle | Treasurer |
| Jan Karn | Director |
| Karen Keith | Director |
| Cindy Wittmer | Director |
Pack for A Purpose has received a determination from the Internal Revenue Service that it qualifies as a charitable organization under code section 501(c)(3). All contributions to Pack for A Purpose are fully deductible.
For a copy of our application please contact us at packforapurpose@gmail.com