Our Why ~
Through The Eyes of A Child

Imagine it is 2 o’clock in the morning, you are sound asleep and before you know it, the unimaginable happens. You have to leave, right now. You are in your pajamas and all you have time to grab is the closest thing to you. What would you do? What would you take? Would it be your clothes, your toothbrush, toothpaste, or maybe your favorite stuffed animal?  

Every day across the nation, children are displaced for one reason or another; a fire in the home, a legal situation, a horrible accident, or worse. Georgia’s children face these situations far too often leaving all that is familiar behind them.  

Agencies across the state are faced with the difficult task of protecting children. However, they are armed with nothing to help these children feel at ease at possibly the very worst moment in their lives.

ADVENTURE BAGS is a way to give children going through such traumatic events (in their lives), something to call their own, something to keep wherever they go.

Our goal is for each affected child (experiencing such events) to be given an ADVENTURE BAG.  We do this by partnering with various agencies such as the Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS), domestic violence shelters, fire departments, law enforcement agencies, homeless shelters, and other organizations that serve Georgia’s most vulnerable children.

Our Story

The idea came to life after Debbie Gori’s daughter, a social worker for the Georgia’s DFCS had to pick up children in another state and bring them into the DFCS system for care. They had nothing but a black trash bag for their belongings. This was unacceptable to the DFCS staff member who assisted the 3 siblings, so she purchased items at the airport for overnight essentials and comfort items .  Smiles of joy radiated from the children’s faces when they were given these items.  They were excited to have something to call their own.

Once Debbie Gori heard this, she knew she had to do something.

On October 2011, we had our 1st fundraiser to begin serving Georgia’s most vulnerable children. 

We received our 501(c)(3) status in 2012.  

The rest is history!

Our focus

Our Mission

To serve displaced children across the state of Georgia offering them bookbags filled with overnight essentials and comfort items during uncertain times.

Our Vision

To ensure every child facing uncertainty, is given the opportunity to feel loved and have something to call their own. Through our bookbags, and the agencies we partner with, our desire is that Georgia’s most vulnerable children will know that someone somewhere is thinking about them.

Our Community

Since we began in 2011, we have expanded our reach each year providing more ADVENTURE BAGS to more organizations and more areas throughout Georgia. To us that means more smiles. We could not do this without a growing and dedicated volunteer base focused on collecting items, assembling, and distributing these bags.

Our Community


"Do your little bit of good where you are,

it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world."

~Desmond Tutu

Our Annual Sponsors

News & Events

Check out what AB's got coming over the next several months...
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Thank you to our Sponsors for our Annual Motorcycle Ride

Platinum Sponsors

Financial Support

Direct Contributions

Donations can be sent to The Wimberly Center; c/o Adventure Bags – 163 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive; Winder, GA 30680.

Adventure Bags works hard to ensure that donations bring comfort and aide to these children in crisis.

Employer Match Program

An easy way to double your personal contribution is through employee giving programs. Many corporations match employee donations to your organization. Click on the link below to check if you or your partner has an employee match program. Also, check with your HR department.

Online Shopping Contribution Programs

Some online corporations allow a portion of their sales to go to charitable organizations. You spend no additional money, but they contribute to the causes that their customers believe in. Adventure Bags uses these nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollars to benefit children in crisis.

Enroll Your Kroger Plus Card Today

1- Login to your online account at Kroger.com
2-Select the community rewards section under My Account.
Search for Adventure Bags or use code NX919

What's In An Adventure Bag

Infant Girl Bag
Infant
Toddler Boy Bag
Toddler
Toddler Girl Bag
5-7
Years Old
5-9 Boy Bag
8-11
Years Old
Tween-Teen Girl Bag
12-15 Years Old
Tween-Teen Boy Bag
16-18 Years Old
shop For our Most Needed Items

Our “Adopt-A-Bag” program allows you to bring a smile to a child’s face.    On average bags cost $50.00  to build and distribute. With your donation, you can help to give a child in crisis, items they can call their own. Your contribution helps to put a teddy bear and blanket in their arms at night. Makes sure they have basic hygiene items.  The bag provides toys and activity books to encourage a focus on fun.

As a part of the Adopt-A-Bag program, you can include a note of encouragement to the bag’s recipient.





Adventure Bags Thank You's & Reviews

Adventure Bags receives a Thank You from Grandmother

AB brings Another Smile to A foster child.

Adventure Bags Help Welcome Kids into Shelter

Paige Sullivan ~ Children's Advocate

The Comfort A Teddy Bear Provided To a Foster Child

I just wanted you to know that we recently had a toddler placed with us and the bear he received in one of your bags has been a great comfort to him.  He had no toys of his own but he immediately hugged and loved on his bear.  Now we keep it with him whenever we can and he rubs its soft ears to fall asleep.  It is a simple bit of security during this difficult time for him.  The other items in the bag were also very helpful for adjusting those first few nights.

Foster Parent

A Child’s Reason Why He Supports Adventure Bags

Austin Walker ~ Foster Child

Young Man Shares Appreciation For Adventure Bags

Adventure Bags President received a call from a recipient who had found the card in the bag. He called to say, “Thank you so much for the bag! I can’t believe this stuff is just for me!” After some conversation, she asked what was the favorite item in the bag? He responded,  “This was hard “cuz everything was great, but if I had to choose, the word search game”. Then he added “I forgot how fun those are!”

Debbie Gori ~ Adventure Bags President

Toothbrush brings Smile To A Little Boy

“A boy and his sister were brought into care together; the little girl was sleeping, and we handed the backpack to the little boy. He opened it and was looking everything over and setting them on the floor beside him. When he pulled out the toothbrush and toothpaste, he jumped up and ran into the bathroom down the hall. When we got to the door and looked in, he had toothpaste all over his face and was brushing his teeth. We found out later that he LOVES to brush his teeth. He was so excited when he saw the toothbrush. Just wanted to share.”

 

Social Services Supervisor

From A Grandma’s Perception

A grandmother who got her 5 little grandsons and AB was able to give them each their very own bag which was stuffed with the items noted on the previous pages. She was so grateful for it, she started to cry. She commented on how they would help her keep their stuff together. The little boy even got diapers and sippy cups which she commented was so helpful in the emergency. She then thanked Adventure Bags with smiles.

Grandmother of Kids in Foster Care

Smiles That Help Soothe

“I wanted to personally thank you and to everyone that helps support this organization. Your bags put smiles on two young girls’ faces that right now in their lives don’t have much to smile about. Once again, thank you for supporting our foster children.

 

Social Services Case Manager

Adventure Bags Going The Extra Mile

“We had a 16yr old boy leaving GA to go back home to his family in another state. He had nothing with him. So, we were able to give him a comfort bag with all the goodies for his trip. We were also able to send him with some snacks and water while he traveled on the bus. The bus ride was 16hrs long. The Adventure Bag had a throw blanket in it and he was excited about getting it. He had something to sleep with while on the bus.”

Social Services Case Manager

Out of The Mouth of Babes

  • A little girl opened her back and was so excited, “I have a doll! My very own! I never had a doll before!

 

  • A 14yr old boy: “Look I got a nice bookbag, can I take it to school?”

 

  • A teenage girl: “Thanks I needed these things; can I have all of this?”

 

  • I love my new dog (stuffed animal)!
As Heard by Case Workers

A Blanket Is More Than Just A Blanket

“So obviously I am not reporting our sweet Washington Co child name, but I wanted to share how sweet he was when I was assisted in taking him to his respite home. He was given an Adventure Bag when he got to the office and kept the book bag on his bag most of the time! He played with the toys in the office and when we got to the respite placement he specifically asked if could take his blanket with him. Note: It was a very simple gray blanket…but it was his! I told him of course! When he met his little friend at the door, he proudly showed him his blanket and bookbag (which was a doggy bookbag!) It was the cutest. Thank you, Adventure Bags Inc.”

Social Services Administrator

Bringing Smiles With Every Adventure Bags

“I wanted to share about a child who received one of your bags recently. We took a sibling group of two into care last week. A little 1yr old boy and his 3yr old sister. The little girl ran across the room to the bag I was holding and hugged it. She immediately started digging through the bags and narrating what she found. The investigator and Foster care Case manager thought that it was hilariously adorable. Thank you for what you guys are doing for our children. You are appreciated. “

Social Services Case Manager

Family Members’ Appreciation for Adventure Bags

“I would just like to thank all of you! Recently my husband and I had to take in his young cousins. They had been taken to DFCS while waiting for us to get there and pick them up. The DFCS Caseworker gave each child their own bag and it was like Christmas morning for them. Your organization is doing such a wonderful thing for these displaced children. You teach them that they DO MATTER. May God Bless you.”

Foster Parent

Smiles from the Social Services Offices

“We gave our last three boy bags away last week and I had trouble getting the child out of the office to go to a foster home because he wouldn’t stop looking through his bag.”

Social Services Case Worker

We are extremely thankful for the wonderful reviews and notes of appreciation we have received over the years.

You can see above that many of these are from social workers and case managers that see the smiles and appreciation these bags generate.

Great Nonprofits is an independent website that captures reviews for 501c3 organizations.

We would love it if you could take a few minutes and let us know how we are doing. Your encouragement goes a long way in pushing our mission forward.

Our Board

Adventure Bags is so thankful to have such a passionate and dedicated board.
Tracey McMahon

Chairman of the Board

Misty Manus

Executive Director

Courtney McGuire

President

Esther Maass

Treasurer

Randy Cooper

Board Member

Kesley Norris

Jr. Ambassador

Ms Debbie Laughing.jpg
Debbie Gori

Our Founder - In Memoriam

Seeking Passionate Board Members:

Volunteer Coordinator

Treasurer

Contact Us

We would love to hear from you! Please drop us a line.
Where to find us

The Wimberly Center
c/o Adventure Bags, Inc
163 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr
Winder, GA 30680
Phone: 678.425.0316

donations@adventurebags.org
*Please contact us to coordinate drop-off of donations.

KEEP IN TOUCH