A shoebox filled with love, hope

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This article was published 25/11/2023 (672 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nina Migalski grew up in Ontario in a single-parent household. Her mother had five children and struggled without support. Hoping for a better life for herself and her kids, she left a difficult situation, taking low-paying jobs to make ends meet and relied on the Christmas Cheer Board for gifts and dinner.

Migalski recalls wondering, in those early years, why there were no gifts for her mother under the tree.

“As an adult, I realized she must have felt a little bit sad, but she was always grateful for the community support. I remember that, feeling for my mom. As a child I knew that she was sad.”

Now Migalski and her longtime friend and colleague Lindsay Flint are the local co-ordinators of the Manitoba Shoebox Project, ensuring that as many women as possible have something special during holiday time. This is the first year for both in their new roles as volunteers tackling a long list of tasks.

Since 2011, what began as a small-scale, grassroots way to help women has blossomed into a registered Canadian charity with more than 45 volunteer-driven local chapters across the country. The annual Holiday Shoebox Drive campaign runs until Dec. 11.

The local chapter was founded by Eva Whitmore in 2013, and the gift-filled shoeboxes and messages of support have been providing local women affected by homelessness with a little kindness and compassion ever since.

Since 2014, the Winnipeg/Manitoba chapter has delivered nearly 11,000 shoeboxes worth almost $550,000, plus $89,000 worth of additional gifts (gift cards, beauty products, face masks, toiletries, winter accessories and other items), for a total in the neighbourhood of $640,000.

The campaign encourages community members to collect $50 worth of items to fill shoeboxes, which are then decorated and distributed to women staying in shelters throughout the province during the holiday season.

“We can make an impact even if we don’t know their story,” said Migalski. “We haven’t walked in their shoes. We don’t know what their story is. We can’t judge somebody that we don’t know. There’s a lot of silent homelessness.

“They love the personalized notes, the little luxuries. When they get the gift, they feel that somebody cares about them, they’re not alone in the world. They really appreciate all of it.”

Migalski and Flint are grateful for the opportunity to show that giving can go a long way to having a transformative impact on everyone involved.

“I learned big life lessons early on and have always wanted to find ways to give back,” said Migalski, who has been with Walmart Canada for 26 years.

“Now, with my assistant manager team, we donate to the Christmas Cheer Board, and I always buy the turkey, some food essentials and the mom a gift I had wished to be able to give my mom. This is why The Manitoba Shoebox Project is so close to my heart. We created a team of family and friends and volunteers to collaborate with us, and they are determined to help us achieve our goals. From fundraising to pickups and deliveries and sorting the shoeboxes; there are many moving parts.”

The women have set a minimum goal of filling 1,000 shoeboxes this year. The demand is higher as requests continue to come in.

“We get a lot of companies donating. We do bulk donations to some of the shelters. We’ve already had two volunteers give us some scarves and toques,” said Migalski.

“I find joy in empowering women, being able to give that back to community and knowing the impact and hearing the impact,” added Flint. “It’s inspiring, and it lit a fire under me to continue to do that, and ask other people to help out.”

Flint remains proud of the passion she developed, growing up in a small town, for helping others.

“When I started my career, I knew I could make a difference in the lives of the women I worked alongside,” said the wife and mother who eventually took on a role that allowed her to support her employer’s charity programs.

“I wanted to show my daughter that you can have a career and give back to the community, and The Manitoba Shoebox Project aligned with my passion for supporting women. We aim to impact at-risk or homeless women by bringing a little love to their day; I think a small act can make a big difference.”

Drop-off locations include eight Winnipeg Public Library branches — Henderson, Transcona, Louis Riel, St. James, Pembina Trail, Westwood, Osborne and Millennium — as well as Headingley Municipal Library. Items can also be dropped off at Pilates Manitoba (836-A Corydon Ave.).

Monetary donations, in-kind donations of new supplies such as chocolates, hair and other beauty products, toiletries, bus tickets, gift cards and winter accessories are always welcome.

Shoeboxes are delivered to various communities across the province, including Flin Flon, Selkirk, Steinbach, The Pas, Thompson and Winkler, thanks to Gardewine, a trucking company and major sponsor.

The Manitoba Shoebox Project hopes to run their next fundraising campaign in the spring in honour of International Women’s Day. Active fundraising continues year-round and all money raised stays in Manitoba. Flint and Migalski will do speaking engagements for organizations doing a shoebox campaign.

For more information on how to make a shoebox or host a shoebox-building event, visit shoeboxproject.ca, contact winnipeg@shoeboxproject.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca