FAQs

Nope! The Shoebox Project is a non-religious, unaffiliated charity, based on the values of equality, diversity and respect for all.

Nope! There are a few different charities that provide gifts in the form of Shoeboxes, however The Shoebox Project for Women distributes gifts locally. The gifts you donate are delivered to shelters and support agencies right in your own community! As well, our Shoeboxes are intended for women impacted by homelessness, not children.

Of course they do! We operate under the basic principle that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and respect. However, our organization is specifically committed to addressing the disproportionate systemic challenges and vulnerabilities faced by women, girls, and individuals who are trans, intersex, non-binary, agender, and/or Two-Spirit.

Our Shoeboxes are distributed to women who are homeless or at risk, including emergency shelters, shelters for victims of abuse, and a wide range of community support services such as drop-ins, transitional & supportive housing for women living with a variety of challenges.

While we collect Shoeboxes for special occasions like International Women's Day or Mother's Day, most of our chapters operate gift drives primarily during the holiday season. Please note that our Headquarters (HQ) cannot accept physical gift donations at any time.

If you or your company, school, or group would like to host an off-season initiative, please contact your local chapter directly to see if they have the capacity to accept gifts at that time. Alternatively, you can support our mission year-round by creating a Virtual Shoebox anytime!

The majority of your donation goes directly to program delivery and community initiatives including the Shoebox Drives and our Health & Wellness Workshop Series. A small portion of every donation supports the national infrastructure that makes our local chapters possible: volunteer coordination, training, donor systems, and financial administration. Without this foundation, chapters across Canada couldn't operate. We are committed to transparency, and you can see exactly how your donation is used in our annual impact report.

We like to think of a Shoebox as a very special gift for a woman. Although we recognize the importance of menstrual products, they take up a lot of space in a Shoebox and don't always convey the message 'you are special and loved!'. If you'd like to donate these items, please keep them separate from your Shoebox and we'll make sure they get delivered in bulk to a nearby women's shelter.

We recommend using a Shoebox with a removable lid instead of sport boxes with a lid that folds over as they're MUCH easier to wrap. Check out our handy tutorial on YouTube!

Items should be placed unwrapped in your Shoebox, as the contents go through an inspection process before being delivered.

No. Boot boxes are not accepted as they are much bigger than the average shoebox and our aim is to create gift boxes that are equal in value.

Please do! We find that a little tissue paper helps a Shoebox look beautiful and festive.

We recommend an amount of up to $15. Please make sure the dollar value is clearly written or indicated on the gift card so the recipient knows its amount.

Yes, please remove all price tags or cover them with a marker, just as you would with a gift to a loved one.

If possible, keep items in their original packaging so that we know they are new and unused.

No, we do not have the resources to collect and donate articles of clothing to shelters. The only types of clothing we accept in our Shoeboxes are new, unused accessories like hats, scarves, gloves and socks. (And please no shoes!)

Keep in mind that your Shoebox could be going to an individual of any economic or cultural background, religion, or age, and that everyone's circumstances leading them to seek shelter are unique. A simple note to wish them well and to let them know you are thinking of them can go a long way for someone navigating a crisis. Feel free to sign your first name or leave the card anonymous!

Although every gift we deliver is entirely unique, we want to ensure that the quality and quantity of items are roughly consistent for everyone receiving a Shoebox. If you aren't looking to spend $50 on your own, putting a box together is a wonderful activity to do with a friend or colleague! If you happen to have more than $50 worth of items that you would like to contribute, we always encourage creating a second Shoebox to brighten another person's day.

A Local Chapter is essentially The Shoebox Project at the local level and its activities are run by local volunteers. When a volunteer starts a new Local Chapter or leads an existing Chapter they are organizing the activities of The Shoebox Project in their communities. The Shoebox Project provides Chapters with the resources and support needed to run the activities with success and offer the validity of a trusted national charity to help support it.

Volunteers! ALL of our Chapters are 100% run by volunteers including the Local Chapter management. Those looking for a leadership role may apply to start a New Local Chapter in their community or help us by running an existing Local Chapter where there may be a vacancy.

When you start a new Local Chapter, that means there has not been a Chapter in this location before. This is a great way to make it your own! When you are leading an established Local Chapter, this means there has previously been a Chapter in this location, but we no longer have a Local Coordinator in place to run it. When you lead an existing chapter you will have the advantage of having the history of that Chapter's activities to help you get started!

Anyone who feels they meet the qualifications are welcome to apply for the role. This is ultimately a volunteer leadership position so we are looking for mature individuals who have previous volunteer and leadership experience. Individuals with existing community ties and a desire to lead other volunteers will have an advantage. This role involves us getting to know the individual applicant to ensure that it is a good fit for both sides and following our screening requirements before an individual is invited as a Local Chapter Coordinator. We want to ensure every individual is set up for success and expectations are clear in this highly rewarding role!

No! Bringing The Shoebox Project to your community doesn't cost a dime. We will even provide you with some funds to help cover your Chapter's expenses in its first year, alongside comprehensive resources to support your local community outreach efforts.

This means no one has stepped up to bring a Local Chapter to your community yet. Why not be that person and start supporting local women in your community this year? We'd love to explore this opportunity with you!

Volunteer roles are based on each Chapter's current and individual needs. If you don't see roles listed on their webpage, this means they are not needing volunteer support for this role at the moment. If you want to inquire about something specific, we encourage you to reach out to the Local Coordinator via their email address and discuss your ideas with them!

Click the 'Local Chapters' tab at the top of our website to see a full list of established Chapters that are active across Canada.

Without a Chapter, there will not be volunteer opportunities. Consider starting a New Local Chapter in your community to provide others this opportunity!

Volunteering is based on the needs of the Local Chapter in your community. A majority of the volunteer activity is required during the holiday period October-December when traditionally our largest Shoebox drive occurs. You can contact them directly to ask about current needs.

It may not be! Our Local Chapter activities tend to fluctuate during the year and from season to season. While our Chapters try their best to offer scheduling that works for you, Shoebox giving season can change rapidly. If you are looking for a regular and steady opportunity, you may want to discuss this more with your Local Chapter Coordinator before getting involved.

No. Our Chapters work directly through local registered shelters and agencies who are supporting women and gender-diverse individuals accessing their services. We typically only work with shelter staff and we never ask or permit our volunteers to work one-on-one with individual recipients.

Yes, of course! We have a few options for U15 youth involvement. Our most popular activity is creating handwritten cards and messages to our Shoebox recipients, and of course putting together Shoebox gifts of their own. These activities can be done anywhere and you can connect with your Local Chapter to drop off your completed creations. We also love having schools involved in organizing a Shoebox gift drive as a group activity.

Yes please! Our volunteer screening process only takes about 10 minutes to complete and helps build and maintain the integrity of a strong volunteer program. All volunteers have a right to know about our organizational policies, standards and code of conduct, and we have an obligation to provide that information to them. The Volunteer Software we use ensures your personal information is kept safe and private.

We screen our volunteers depending on the position they have applied for. This ensures that each volunteer is treated equitably and screened based on the position, not the individual. Screening requirements for each position are included on the position description provided to you at the time of application so there are no surprises. All screenings are conducted with strict confidentiality.

Depending on the service hours, deadlines and criteria, individuals including students may qualify for certain roles. Contact the Manager of Volunteer Services to discuss your specific requirements ahead of time.

Depending on the charge/conviction, you may qualify for some volunteer roles. This is determined on a case by case basis and will involve a one-on-one interview with the Manager of Volunteer Services. All cases are kept with the strictest confidence to ensure our volunteer's privacy is protected.

That's the best way! Many of our Local Chapters start out small and get a lot of volunteer help from family and friends. Before you know it, the trickle down effect occurs and you will have a whole community wanting to help!

Absolutely! This is a much needed volunteer opportunity for most Chapters. Keep in mind, most deliveries occur during weekdays/daytime when shelters have adequate staff to receive our gifts. To qualify, you must be able to provide proof of a current and valid driver's license in your province, as well as automobile insurance, and have your own vehicle.

If you choose to and your Local Chapter has sufficient funds, you may submit your mileage totals for trips made on their behalf and get reimbursed for deliveries made to shelters/agencies. Ask your Local Coordinator ahead of time if this is something their Chapter can provide.

The Shoebox Project cannot confirm individual hours of volunteers at the local level. If your Local Chapter Coordinator can verify your volunteer hours and is comfortable providing this to you, they may use the template provided to them. Local chapters are under no obligation to provide this verification.

Head office is happy to provide a letter of reference to our Local Chapter Coordinators and Administrative Volunteers we work with directly, after an appropriate period of time. The head office is not able to provide this to individual support volunteers as we do not work directly with these volunteers.

Sometimes! Depending on the availability of a Volunteer from our 'Speakers Hub' or your Local Chapter for the date/time of your request, for a nominal donation of $250-$500, we can help schedule either a virtual ($250) or in-person ($500) presentation to supplement your team's experience.

We would love your support! While we can only distribute physical Shoeboxes in communities with an active chapter, you can still make an impact by supporting a nearby Local Chapter or by making a monetary donation to our general fund. Your financial support ensures our programming can continue thriving, and these funds are used directly to support individuals navigating crises in our communities across the country.

No, there is no cost to your team supporting your local chapter by planning a Shoebox gift drive. We do, however, ask that our corporate groups commit to a minimum amount of Shoebox gifts to help our Local Chapters reach their gift-giving goals. If you are not able to meet the minimum commitment, we would ask for a donation to your Local Chapter to make up the difference.

Yes, we ask that corporate groups/teams commit to at least 25 Shoebox gifts.

Yes, we are excited to partner with Kits for a Cause to offer another easy way to give back as a team. This opportunity is perfect for a group without a big budget, as individual team members and supporters can make financial donations toward your event's goal. With the money you fundraise, Kits for a Cause will send you all the materials you need to complete your Shoeboxes.

We provide all of our Corporate groups with a guided Toolkit & Resources to help set up your drive, making it easy and simple for everyone to participate!

All of our Local Chapters are 100% Volunteer-run. While most Chapters participate in the Annual Holiday gift drive, they may not have the resources available to run activities all year round. Always check in with your local chapter ahead of planning any activities to ensure they can accommodate your needs. Speak with them about other ways you can support them locally when they have the greatest need.

Not necessarily. This may depend on the time of year and location of your drive. Please let us know if you have a shelter in mind that you would like to support, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

First, please ensure all boxes are inspected for appropriate contents as per our gift guidelines. Once you are happy with the boxes, reach out to your Local Chapter directly to coordinate a drop-off or pick-up. Please note that our Headquarters (HQ) is unable to accept physical gift boxes.