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Couple’s passion for traveling inspires them to start company to help feed the hungry

Posted at 2:07 PM, Jan 23, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-23 15:07:39-05

Kelly Belknap and Matilda Sandstroem have traveled around the world.

“Our favorite thing to do really is just walking around cities, exploring, stuff like that,” Belknap says.

But on one of their trips a few years ago, something started to bother them.

“Seeing how many people actually are in need and that we could help if we just knew the right way to do it,” explains Sandstroem.

That’s when they decided to help feed people who were hungry.

“We wanted to spread some kindness while we were on our trips, so we would buy meals from the grocery store-- food that we would pack into meals,” Belknap says. “Then, we would hand meals out to everyone we saw throughout the day.”

The couple would pack anywhere from 15 to 20 meals inside their bags, which is how their idea for their company, Adventurist Backpacks Co. , was born.

A portion of every backpack sale goes to the non-profit Feeding America, and the couple says the proceeds from one backpack are enough to provide 25 meals to those who need it.

“It was backpacks on our trip giving meals out, and we wanted to continue giving meals from backpacks for our company as well,” Belknap says.

They may not have the solution to world hunger, but Belknap and Sandstroem believe their food-via-backpack business will bring a bit of kindness to people who really need it.