Steven Abi Richa, a Coatesville man with a rare neurological disorder, helped start Steven’s Bags, a grassroots movement that has assisted hundreds of homeless people during the pandemic, according to a report from WHYY. 

Abi Richa, who has trouble controlling his body and communicating using language, had been going to a day program filled with activities before COVID-19. The activities kept him busy and thriving.  

When the pandemic began, Shannon Watson, who provides life skills training and support for people with physical differences and disabilities, noticed an immediate change in him. 

“He was becoming depressed and was developing some challenging behaviors because he was bored,” she said. 

To help keep him engaged, she thought of a project just for him. It simply involved Abi Richa packing bags for her charitable effort for Christmas.

He did so well that she continued the project and called it Steven’s Bags. Abi Richa will decorate paper bags using drawings and stickers and fill them with items for the homeless. The bags are distributed to centers in Coatesville and Kensington. 

The program has grown so much that it now has a Facebook group with nearly 300 members who donate items for the bags. 

Read more about Steven Abi Richa at WHYY.