Youth Shoebox Project –

Hi everyone who has supported our wonderful project over the past 10 years.

On Friday I said my final goodbye to Jackie who, along with her husband Wayne, is leaving Australia to go and live in the UK. There were tears. And an overwhelming sense of having shared an extremely special journey and adventure over the 10 years that we have worked together on this project. We started the project as strangers and have become dear, close friends, depending on each other’s strengths in making the project work so well year on year. We have stood by as one or other of us went through tough times and still despite that said ‘YES’ when it came to the question of whether we should do the shoeboxes again that year. I personally cannot thank Jackie enough. This project has been one of the best things I have ever done and I am so proud of it. I am proud of Jackie. And I am proud of what we achieved together.

Our project was not world changing, but it hopefully brought joy to children in the refugee and asylum seeker communities, as well as provided opportunities for kids in our own community to reflect on their advantages, express kindness and experience the joy that comes from being generous. Over the years, Jackie and I have regularly been brought to tears of happiness at what we have seen in the words and sentiments of the beautiful children in the Blue Mountains. I will never forget that and it gives me so much hope for the future of our beautiful country, Australia.

I don’t know that I have the energy to run this project on my own and I do feel like it was the magic of the both of us that kept it going for 10 years. After 10 years, the project has run its course and we will end it on a high.

Thank you to every single one of you who have contributed, wrapped, packed, sewn and made things, donated, made and written beautiful cards, helped to collect donations and deliver, taken your children out to the shops to create boxes of love and care, dropped your boxes in to the office or other collection points, been just so generous even at a time like Christmas when there are so many other expenses.

You all made this what it was. THANK YOU ALL OF YOU

A big thank you also to the staff of Able2 who donated so much more than just the huge amount of gifts and donations but also your time, your children’s time, the empty boxes to fill, your personal safety as you dodged the WHS hazards of boxes all over the office and just generally put up the project whether they wanted to or not!