It was a record-setting year for the Campbell River Shoebox Project.
The nonprofit delivered about 630 gift-filled shoeboxes, valued at $50 each, to women in Campbell River and Port Hardy/North Island who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Of those, 560 were distributed in Campbell River and 70 in Port Hardy/North Island.
Alison Skepneck, local co-ordinator of the project, said the goal was 500 shoeboxes in Campbell River and 100 in Port Hardy/North Island.
“We began delivering shoebox gifts for local women in need in the North Island in 2017. We met our goal the first few years but have struggled to provide the requested number of shoebox gifts for the area since before the pandemic,” Skepneck said.
According to a news release from the organization, the total value of gifts delivered exceeded $31,000.
Large donations received later in the campaign allowed more gifts to reach local shelters and agencies, pushing the organization past its target.
“One woman who received a shoebox gift told me recently that she hoped one day she would be able to create a shoebox for someone else,” Skepneck said.
With the help of financial donations from the community and local organizations, the nonprofit also created 120 special shoeboxes containing practical items specifically for women experiencing homelessness.
Donors were asked to fill a decorated shoebox with daily essentials, several small luxuries, something warm, a $10 gift card to a grocery or drugstore, and an inspirational message, all valued at roughly $50.
