Working with Hunter Beaton on his Sustainability - Day 1 Bags project and seeing it grow to become the first state-wide program of its kind in the country has been such a privilege for all of us here at Flying Circle. Since 2016, Hunter's efforts have provided over 24,000 bags (and counting!) to children transitioning into the foster care system across the country.
Hunter dedicated his Eagle Scout project to helping foster children after he saw his foster siblings carrying their belongings in trash bags, grocery bags, or nothing at all. When he was 15 years old, he started his Day 1 Bags program that filled 100 duffel bags with essential items for foster kids. Hunter’s vision has since grown into a statewide program with national partnerships. Hunter’s mom, Paula, helps manage the program, and even though he is now away at college, he is still very involved in the program and has even set a new goal to be the first state in the U.S. to give every college enrolled former foster youth a Day 1 Backpack. He has also worked with us to donate Ditty Bags to low income and homeless Veterans.
His dedication and hard work to help those in need have earned him the Congressional Gold Medal Award and Texas VFW Scout of the Year.
You can learn more about Hunter's vision and Flying Circle's participation in the program in this video produced by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.
Hunter has also been featured on Good Morning America and our local San Antonio news stations.
Hunter Beaton
Tim Allen, president of the Texas County Child Welfare Board, presents a backpack to Governor Abbott on behalf of Hunter and Flying Circle to continue to bring awareness to the thousands of foster children who still receive trash bags as luggage.
Flying Circle President Jimmy Chittim & Hunter Beaton
Ditty Bags for Veterans donated by Hunter & Flying Circle
Hunter and Flying Circle assisted Alex Kapoor with his Eagle Scout Project to fill 100 Day 1 Large Duffels with essentials for Roy Maas' Youth Alternatives