Corporate Toolkit

A Shoebox Says, "You Are Not Alone"

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Table of Contents

Topic Page

About The Shoebox Project Who we are Why it matters

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About Our Employee Volunteerism Program 4 What Goes in a Shoebox & What to Avoid 4 Sample Messages to Include in your Shoebox 5 Other Suggestions & Guidelines to Consider 6 Appointing a Shoebox Project Team Lead 7 Frequently Asked Questions 8 Promotional Materials* Sample Email to Staff Requesting Donations Throughout Year Sample Email Invitation to Staff Shoebox Stuffing Party Sample Flyer – What goes in a Shoebox? Sample Postcard – How to make a Shoebox Sample Poster – Warmth, Dignity and Respect

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* These materials, as well as additional photos and official logos can be provided electronically in high resolution to support your internal Shoebox drive.

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www.Shoeboxproject.com Registered Charity Number 833-095-045-RR-000-1

Who We Are The Shoebox Project is a registered Canadian charity founded in 2011 by four sisters-in-law: Caroline, Jessica, Vanessa and Katy Mulroney. In our founding year, 2011, we delivered 400 Shoeboxes to residents of four Toronto women's shelters. Through word of mouth and the support of some loyal sponsors, the initiative grew very quickly. Six short years later, in 2016, our network of dedicated volunteers delivered 36,690 Shoeboxes to local women in need. That's over 1.8 million dollars of in-kind donations that we collected and delivered to women living in 252 communities.

Why it Matters For women who have been displaced from their homes and estranged from their families, the holidays and other special times of the year can be a particularly challenging time. Often women feel disconnected from society, forgotten and alone. Reducing the feelings of isolation and loneliness faced by women living in shelters is one of the most important outcomes of the Shoebox Project. A Shoebox gift is a powerful reminder for a woman that she has not been forgotten and that she remains a valued and respected member of her community.

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Employee Volunteerism Workplace Shoebox Gift Drives are:

⋅ A fun, hands-on team building activity ⋅ A great way to engage employees, whether they work at your head office or are decentralized ⋅ A meaningful way to give back to your local community ⋅ Easy to plan and execute ⋅ Flexible - can be tailored to suit any workplace environment, timeline, or budget ⋅ A non-denominational holiday activity for staff of all ages, backgrounds and beliefs.

To see the impact that a Shoebox has on the women who receive them watch our touching video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzfrbPnAE9c

What Should go in your Shoebox Gifts are placed in festively decorated Shoeboxes. They contain necessities and little luxuries that these women do not have access to or the means to purchase during a difficult time. The main objective of a Shoebox is to help its recipient feel special, worthy and cared for. The following highlights important guidelines for you to use when filling your Shoebox. The contents of your Shoebox should be valued at approximately $50 to ensure that all women receive gifts of equal value.

Ideas of what to Include in your Shoebox Please DO NOT include Gift cards e.g. Tim Hortons, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc. Hotel / spa samples Socks Jumbo size containers Multivitamins Heavily scented items Nut-free chocolate, candy Clothing that is "sized" (e.g. S, M, L) Makeup: mascara, eye shadow, nail polish, lip gloss, lip balm, small cosmetic bag

Any products with alcohol (e.g. mouthwash, hand sanitizers)

Hat, mittens / gloves, scarf Foundation, concealers Body or hand lotion, deodorant, sunscreen Candles Tooth brush, toothpaste, floss Products past expiry date Journal & nice pen / colouring book & pencil crayons Books Brush, comb, hair elastics, hair clips Razors Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, specialty soap Opened / unpackaged / used items Bus / metro tickets Sanitary napkins, tampons

The high quality of our gifts is an important element that sets The Shoebox Project apart from other donations the shelters receive

throughout the year. Select only items that you would like to receive as a gift or items that you

might purchase for your mother, daughter, or a close friend!

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Choose the right Shoebox! ⋅ Please use standard sized Shoeboxes, not oversized boot boxes or child-sized boxes. We want

everyone to receive a gift similar in size and value. Shoe stores will often donate empty boxes if you ask, or else staff can bring in an empty shoebox from home.

⋅ Avoid using a hinged-lid box as the paper tends to rip easily. ⋅ If you are purchasing your box from Dollarama, there are two sizes that work well depending on your

contents: 8.5 x 12.5 and 7.5 x 11.5. Michaels also has beautiful “memory/photo boxes” that are a perfect size.

Sample Notes to Include on a Card

⋅ May the New Year bring you peace, hope and joy. ⋅ Dear sister, you are worthy, respected and loved. ⋅ You matter and are loved. ⋅ Even though we have not met I want you to know you are cared for and loved. May you have a

beautiful holiday season filled with love, hope and new beginnings. ⋅ It may be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever. Just remember that you are not alone and that there is

always someone thinking of you. Wishing you continued strength and courage every day. ⋅ As you open my gift may you know that you are in my thoughts.

Sample Holiday Season Poem When you open this gift made just for you, May it lift your spirits and give hope anew. I am a friend who truly does care, Wishing life's challenges, with you, I could share. So you are never cold, I added something warm, Knowing any day, we could get a winter storm. Tucked inside is a little treat, It wouldn't be the holidays without something sweet!

A few other things are to make you feel nice, Festive and special with a touch of spice. Something to help you unwind and relax, Along with a few of my favourite “knick-knacks.” With my gift to you, may your tears fall away, Have faith that tomorrow will bring a brighter day. As I wrap your box, I am saying a little prayer, You are worthy & loved, as your “sister,” I care.

A Few Important Guidelines to Make your Shoebox Equitable, Festive and Special

⋅ Make sure price tags are removed. ⋅ If you are including a gift card, include the amount on the card or include the receipt. ⋅ Wrap the box lid separately from the box as boxes are inspected before delivery. ⋅ Include a poem or card with a personal note to the recipient. ⋅ Use good quality wrapping paper and avoid using bows and intricate ribbon, as boxes are

usually stacked on top of one another and undergo some degree of wear and tear during transport.

⋅ Place an elastic around your Shoebox as it could travel to several locations before it reaches the shelter.

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Symbolic Gift with Note Sample Shoebox

Suggestions for Your Employee Shoebox Drive

Organize a Departmental Shoebox Decorating and Stuffing Party Have everyone either bring their own items worth $50 or you can decide how many boxes you want to make and designate the items you want each person to bring – each set of items totaling around $50.

For example, say your department is making five boxes:

Employee What to Bring Peter Five $10 Tim Hortons cards Sue 5 bottles of hand lotion & 5 bars of nice soap & 5 nut-free chocolate bars John 5 journals & 5 nice pens & 5 pairs of socks Alana 5 nail polish & 5 lip gloss or mascara Mary 5 body wash, 5 shampoo & 5 tooth brushes & 5 toothpaste Team Everyone brings a note to put in their box

Wrapping your Shoebox If you are going to wrap your own Shoeboxes here are a few tips:

⋅ It takes on average 10 minutes to wrap a Shoebox. ⋅ Costco is a great place to get large rolls of wrapping paper at a good price. They typically start stocking

Christmas wrap in September. ⋅ Ask everyone to bring a pair of scissors unless you have several pairs at the office. ⋅ Have lots of tape on hand. ⋅ Please wrap the top and bottom of the Shoebox separately. If you have trouble, watch a tutorial.

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Have a Departmental Challenge

Have a challenge to see which department in your company contributes the most Shoeboxes or creates the most beautiful/creative gifts. Purchase a trophy in the shape of a shoe to award to the winning department. The winner will delight in bragging rights! Hold a Santa’s Workshop Event

Book a meeting room and invite management and co-workers to drop-in over the lunch hour and wrap and assemble their boxes and contents. Have some extra Shoebox items on hand to supplement and provide a healthy festive snack. This event can also double as a networking opportunity. Combine with a Team Building Event

Organize a company or department-sponsored yoga class, rock climbing session or wine tasting event and ask participants to bring a wrapped, filled Shoebox or Shoebox items as the price of admission. Promote Theme Days

Designate days throughout the year to have Shoebox drives with the goal being that by the holiday season you will have enough contents to have a Shoebox decorating and stuffing event. Examples of theme days:

January: Bring something warm (mitts, scarf, hat, headband, socks) March: Bring something that smells pampering (body and / or hand lotion, facial masks) May: Bring something essential (soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste) September: Bring something thoughtful (a journal and decorative pen) October: Bring something festive (sparkly nail polish, eye shadow, lip gloss, Tim's holiday gift card) November: Bring something sweet (nut-free chocolate, candies)

Take Lots of Pictures! Share with us your photos and we'd be happy to recognize your company's participation on social media. Submit photos to info@Shoeboxproject.com or tag us on social media!

Appointing a Leader or a Small Committee We ask that one person (or a small committee for larger organizations) be responsible for overseeing the Shoebox Gift drive. This person will be The Shoebox Project’s main contact at your organization and will be responsible for:

⋅ Confirming your drive before getting started and adhering to our guidelines ⋅ Communicating the instructions to your group and organizing the gift drive ⋅ Ensuring that the Shoeboxes collected meet our expectations in terms of quality and value, and do not

contain any restricted or inappropriate items ⋅ Connecting with your Shoebox Project representative to communicate final results and organize pick-

up/delivery

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FAQ`s

Who does the Shoebox Project support? The Shoebox Project supports women who are homeless, who have experienced abuse, or who are at risk of homelessness. This includes women and girls who are living in shelters and those accessing a wide range of community support services such as the Salvation Army, food banks, outreach services for Aboriginal women and supportive housing for new immigrants and refugees. Will I know which shelter / agency my company is supporting? The Guelph-Wellington Chapter of The Shoebox Project currently delivers Shoeboxes to Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis and Family Counselling & Support Services for Guelph-Wellington. It is possible that agencies will change, or that new ones will be added as we continue to grow and as community needs evolve. Can we deliver the Shoeboxes directly to the shelter? This is typically not possible during the busy holiday season drive. If, however, we know what shelter / agency you are supporting, we may be able to make special arrangements for you to deliver them. Many of the items have a price imprinted directly on their packaging (as opposed to a removable sticker). Should we cover the price with marker or stickers or leave it as is? Yes, you should cover the price with a marker, or if the price is located on the corner of the packaging, you may also remove it with scissors, provided it doesn’t damage the integrity of the package / seal. For items like the lip balm and hairbrush, should we remove the packaging to make it easier to pack in the box? If possible, keep items in their original packaging, particularly any personal care items. Packaging or bulky tags may be removed, if necessary, from stationery items (e.g. pens) or attire items (e.g. hat, mittens / gloves, scarf, etc.). Should we individually wrap each item in our Shoebox? No. Items should be placed unwrapped in your Shoebox as the contents must go through an inspection process.

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Why can’t I use a box with an attached / hinged lid? It is challenging to wrap a box with an attached lid and the wrapping paper often tears easily. Can I use a boot box? Not if they are much bigger than the average Shoebox, as our aim is to create gift boxes that are equal in value, and similar sizing also facilitates easier packing for transport. Do I need to put tissue inside my box? If you are using a clear plastic box, you are welcome to line it with unused, decorative tissue. If you are using a wrapped Shoebox, it is not necessary to line your box, although you are certainly welcome to do so. If I am including a gift card in my box how much should it be for? Any denomination is appreciated; however, we suggest $10 - $15, understanding that the aim is to target $50 as the total value of the Shoebox contents, and higher denomination gift cards may not leave much budget to fill the remainder of the box. Why are necessities like pads, tampons, and hotel samples on the “do not include” list? The objective of a Shoebox is to make its recipient feel special and to boost self-worth. Although we recognize the importance of personal hygiene items, we feel that they do not convey the message, “you are worth it!” However, if you’d like to donate these items, please keep them separate from your Shoeboxes and we’ll make sure they get into the right hands. Why are razors on the ``do not include`` list? Some shelters house women who are at risk of injuring themselves. As we will not necessarily know ahead of time which shelter your boxes will be delivered to it is preferable not to include razors in your boxes. If you have razors, however, please put them in a separate box and we will deliver them to the shelter director to distribute. What happens to our boxes once they are ready to go? Once your boxes are ready, please reach out to your Shoebox contact and arrange for delivery. Once we receive your boxes they will go through an inspection process to ensure that they are equitable and that anything on the `do not include` list is not included. We typically have a limited supply of extra product on hand to replace any items in your boxes that are either not appropriate or damaged in transit. If we have leftover Shoebox contents, will the shelter accept them? Yes! Shelters fill cupboards with much needed supplies that the women can access, and we can often also use these items to top up Shoeboxes which are not quite full, or to replace damaged / inappropriate items. Is there anything else that women living in shelters need that won`t fit in a Shoebox? Yes! They are in desperate need of personal hygiene products. Pads are preferable to tampons.

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PROMOTIONAL TEMPLATES

Email Communications Poster Communications

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The Shoebox Project for Shelters

Supported by Dream

Company XY is pleased to support the Shoebox Project for Shelters in 2017. We will be providing Shoeboxes filled with personal care items and little luxuries for women living in shelters in our Guelph-Wellington community.

We hope you will join our efforts to touch the lives of these women and let them know that they are not forgotten by helping us provide holiday gift boxes for as many women as possible.

We will be collecting donations at each staff meeting throughout the year for the Shoebox Project. Please see below our themes and suggestions for each staff meeting. Please note that the shelters only accept new and unopened items, and items must not be expired or near expiry.

January: Bring something warm – mitts, scarf, hat, headband, socks

March: Bring something pampering – body and/or hand lotion, facial masks

May: Bring something essential – soap, shampoo and conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste

July: Bring something thoughtful – a journal and nice pen

September: Bring something sweet – nut-free chocolate, candies

October: Bring something festive – sparkly nail polish, lip gloss, Tim's holiday gift card

November: We will be hosting a Shoebox decorating and stuffing event. Stay tuned!

Small gestures do make a difference – please help us make a difference!

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The Shoebox Project for Shelters Supported by Dream

You are invited to a Shoebox Party! Date: Time: Location: The Shoebox Project is a registered charity that collects new personal care items and packages them in festively decorated Shoeboxes to deliver to women in shelters / agencies across the Guelph-Wellington region. Here’s how it works:

• Bring items to fill 1 or more Shoeboxes, valued at about $50/box • All items must be new and unused, and not expired / near expiry • Shoeboxes and wrapping paper will be provided

Ideas of what to Include in your Shoebox Please DO NOT include Gift cards e.g. Tim Hortons, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc. Hotel / spa samples Socks Jumbo size containers Multivitamins Heavily scented items Nut-free chocolate, candy Clothing that is "sized" (e.g. S, M, L) Makeup: mascara, eye shadow, nail polish, lip gloss, lip balm, small cosmetic bag

Any products with alcohol (e.g. mouthwash, hand sanitizers)

Hat, mittens / gloves, scarf Foundation, concealers Body or hand lotion, deodorant, sunscreen Candles Tooth brush, toothpaste, floss Products past expiry date Journal & nice pen / colouring book & pencil crayons Books Brush, comb, hair elastics, hair clips Razors Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, specialty soap Opened / unpackaged / used / expired items Bus / metro tickets Sanitary napkins, tampons

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Sample Poster