Our Founders
Andres "Andrew" and Mindy Viteri are the founders of Bags Not Rags. "We would love to take the credit for this wonderful organization, but we have to say that it was all Jesus Christ who put it in our hearts and never allowed us to let it go. He is the reason we have been such a success."
Andrew and Mindy looked into fostering children when they were living in Nashville, TN. They went through the classes, completed the application, and were awaiting their final interview when they had the opportunity to move back to Mindy's home of Shreveport, Louisiana. With their 18 month year old son, they decided being near her large family was too important to pass up. They packed up everything and moved. With the move and job changes, they were unable to continue with the foster parent application.
The start-up of their low-cost accounting firm, Carter Services Plus, and the birth of their daughter in October of 2009 delayed those foster parenting plans that much further. Though the waves of life were turbulent, the Viteri's never lost the want to help the foster children as much as possible.
"Most people either feel like they can only foster or not. They have no idea that there is so much more we can do to help foster children. The life they have been dealt is NOT their fault. They are innocent victims of life and deserve our love as much as any other child." With this still on their hearts, in June of 2010, they decided to throw caution to the wind and begin the meager start of Bags Not Rags in hopes of collecting a few bags here and there to help these children.
One month in, Bags Not Rags collected enough bags to support the children in the 10-parish Shreveport Region for 2-3 months. This was an amazing feet and set the ground work for a national campaign that is now Bags Not Rags.
"We are blessed to even be a part of this organization and we are determined to change at least THIS part of the foster system in the United States."