Mission statement
Our goal is to provide basic necessities to unhoused members of our communities. In each of our care packages, called "Poppy Packs," we include items which give homeless individuals comfort, safety, and dignity.
The “Poppy” in “Poppy Packs” has a double meaning. Katy Beshears was inspired by the prolific philanthropy of her late grandfather figure, Petro “Poppy” Kulynych, to make her own contribution to the nonprofit sector. The organization is named “Poppy Packs” to honor his memory. Also, we wanted a name which recognizes the disproportionate burden of homelessness among veterans. The poppy flower has historically been a symbol of the sacrifices by the men and women who serve in the military; at Poppy Packs we believe that diminished health and wellbeing of our veterans following their return to civilian life should not be a sacrifice they have to make. Katy’s father, Stephen Beshears (U.S. Navy), died as a result of injuries sustained from his service when Katy was just 14. She spent countless hours in VA hospitals with her father as a child, and she was instilled with the desire to serve veterans in some capacity.
Jack Bradley (Co-founder, President) is a graduate of Penn State University and Georgetown University. Jack, is an aspiring Lawyer, who is currently attending Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University.
Katy Beshears (Co-founder, Vice President) is a first-year medical student at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. She graduated from Wake Forest University in 2020. Throughout her career as a physician, Katy hopes to serve at-risk populations.
Zachary Yohe (Co-director, Head of Washington DC Operations) is a graduate of Penn State University and is currently employed at Bloomberg Industry Group as an Enterprise Relationship Partner.