This holiday season, Parasec participated in The Shoebox Project for Women. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2011, in Toronto, Canada by four sisters-in-law. The charity collects and distributes gift-filled shoeboxes to women who are impacted by homeless. The first holiday season the program was up and running, their goal was to collect 156 Shoeboxes. They ended up collecting 400 shoeboxes thanks to word of mouth. Since then, the organization has grown vastly. They are now able to help women in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.
Each shoebox is filled with items to enhance self-esteem and reduce feelings of isolation for these women. The charity asks that all gifted items be of high quality. In fact, the higher quality items are what sets these donations apart from those they get throughout the year. The goal is to make these women truly feel special during what can be a particularly tough time of year. These are little reminders to these women that they have not been forgotten. That they are valued.
This year, the Parasec team was able to donate 21 shoeboxes. First, we decorated each shoebox with wrapping paper and colorful ribbon. Then, we filled each box with approximately $50 worth of self-care items. The items included gift cards, socks, hats, body wash, hairbrushes, lip balm, pens, journals, encouraging messages and more.
We are proud that we could give back and make a small difference to these women. If you’re interested in learning about The Shoebox Project, visit them online here. If you’re looking for ways to give, go here.