16

community partners

1100+

people served

7

rural states served

Our Beginning

Since 2020, I have volunteered with populations experiencing homelessness, both in and out of clinical settings. My work has given me a unique perspective into some of the biggest public health problems that people experiencing homelessness encounter as one of the most underserved groups across America. The rural homeless are especially underserved, as rural homelessness is difficult to measure and is therefore largely unaccounted for by most policymakers.

After volunteering as a medical assistant in a homeless foot clinic, I learned that people experiencing homelessness, especially those who are unsheltered, are on their feet for many hours a day without socks or proper shoes. My patients frequently presented to the clinic with debilitating physical and infectious diseases of the feet that drastically affected their physical mobility. The effect was even more pronounced in diabetics, who are prone to amputation from such diseases due to reduced blood circulation.

I also quickly found that the majority of people experiencing homelessness do not have a proper way to protect whatever little they have. Unfortunately, for many people experiencing homelessness, their only option for safekeeping their belongings is a disposable plastic garbage bag that further hinders their physical mobility. Mobility is even more essential for rural homeless populations due to lack of infrastructure for public transportation in rural areas.

I realized that I put on my socks and shoes, pick up my backpack and go to class every morning, but I never thought to myself how much I would struggle if I didn’t own socks, shoes, or a backpack and had to carry my materials in a garbage bag walking barefoot across my college campus everyday; it was a privilege I took for granted.

That’s why I founded RollingOn. Lack of access to simple items like socks or shoes should not cause debilitating lifelong diseases, and a garbage bag should not be the solution for people experiencing homelessness to protect their essential belongings. RollingOn collects donations of rolling suitcases, socks, and shoes to provide to people experiencing rural homelessness across Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Appalachia. Please join us in our effort to fight rural homelessness, one step at a time.

Sincerely,

Srikar Muppidi, Founder

Why RollingOn?

According to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory, "safety needs," which include health and mobility as well as protecting one's personal belongings, are one of the most fundamental requirements that humans have, coming immediately after "physiological needs," such as food, water, and shelter. Many people experiencing homelessness are unsheltered, meaning that they struggle with even the lowest level on the pyramid. As a result, they are on their feet for many hours a day without socks or proper shoes, leading to physical and infectious diseases of the foot that drastically affect their physical mobility. RollingOn aims to address the fundamental "safety needs" level of Maslow's hierarchy by helping people experiencing homelessness, especially those who are unsheltered, have improved foot health and physical mobility along with better security for their personal belongings.

Rural areas in particular have a disproportionately large population of unsheltered homeless groups. For example, the percent of people experiencing homelessness who are unsheltered in the entire state of Georgia (54%) is nearly twice that in the city of Atlanta (32%). This can be attributed to the lack of homeless shelters available within reach for the rural communities of the state. Along with all of the struggles that people experiencing homelessness face everyday, the majority of them do not have a proper way to protect whatever little they have. They need a place to keep their most important possessions, such as birth certificates, passports, and other documents. Unfortunately, for many people experiencing homelessness, their only option for safekeeping their belongings is a disposable plastic garbage bag. This same bag is often also a place for clothes and even food items. A garbage bag should not be the solution for people experiencing homelessness to protect their essential belongings.

Srikar with Bill, a person experiencing homelessness in Loyalhanna, PA, who is legally disabled due to an injured ankle. According to Bill, better access to socks and shoes through RollingOn will make it less difficult for him go out to work everyday.

RollingOn and Maslow's Hierarchy Of Human Needs

RollingOn aims to address the fundamental "safety needs" level of Maslow's hierarchy by helping people experiencing homelessness, especially those who are unsheltered, have improved foot health and physical mobility, along with better security for their personal belongings.

What We Do

RollingOn aims to solve some of the problems that people experiencing homelessness encounter on a daily basis, such as improving their foot health and physical mobility and protecting their important belongings. RollingOn solicits donations of socks, shoes, and rolling suitcases from community organizations such as churches and schools. We then distribute what we have collected to people experiencing homelessness in predominantly rural areas. Please donate today and make a difference in the life of a person experiencing homelessness.

RollingOn seeks to spread awareness regarding some of the biggest public health issues that populations experiencing homelessness today. We specifically focus on rural homeless groups, as they are largely unaccounted for and face a unique set of challenges.

Learn more about rural homelessness:

Resources Blog

Srikar with a family during a community event donating rolling suitcases, backpacks, and socks to the Urban Mission Family Shelter in Steubenville, OH.

Testimonials