In fall 2003, a group of youth and adults from Christ the Good Shepherd Catholic Community in Spring, Texas volunteered to create a service opportunity for the National Catholic Youth Conference. They noticed a great need for a program that reached out to the homeless panhandlers who frequented intersections in suburban Houston. After much research, discussion, and preparation, a unique new homeless ministry called “The Hope Bag Project” was born.

At NCYC, attendees made over 1,000 Hope Bag meals and 99 organizations were recruited from all over the country to make Hope Bags in their own communities. Since then, Project Hope Bags has evolved into a full-time ministry run by youth and adults, and has even become an official non-profit organization.

Project Hope Bags continues to work actively with its partners to organize the distribution of Hope Bags, coordinate service projects, and spread the idea and the message of hope.