The Boxes of Love Project

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Gresham, OR
The Boxes of Love Project

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It is our mission to ensure that babies & children entering foster care from local children's hospitals have a box of new clothing to call their own.

Most of you know that we recently adopted our son after a two year journey through the foster care system. This experience made me realize that I need, and want, to do something to help the babies and children who are currently in foster care. That is where the idea for The Boxes of Love Project came from

Hundreds of babies and children enter the foster care system each day. Most of them enter with nothing to call their own. No clothes, blankets, stuffed animals or books. The thought of this breaks my heart. I want these children to know that they are loved, that they are special and that they matter. I have decided to make it my mission to ensure that every baby and child entering the foster care system at Randall Children's Hospital receives a large box full of new clothing and other items (see list below) to call their own....A Box of Love. Each box is topped off with a copy of the book Guess How Much I Love You and a note from me. Each box is valued at approximately $500, so you can definitely see why I need community support to keep it running! There are number of things you can do. Please consider donating new baby and children's clothing, new shoes, new underwear and socks, toiletries, hair accessories, new fun towels and washcloths, new baby blankets, new stuffed animals, small baby toys/pacifiers/rattles, etc, books, stickers, coloring crayons, coloring books and small toys. You can also donate Sterilite 66 quart clear plastic bins with latching handles, small duffle bags and backpacks. You can donate gift cards to Target, Carter's, Kohl's, Old Navy and Fred Meyer. These gift cards are used to purchase items for the boxes that I may not have on hand. They are also used to purchase specific items that children may need or want. You can also always make a monetary donation! You can find a link to the PayPal account on the page for credit card donations. Checks can be mailed to:

Boxes of Love
PO Box 702
Troutdale, OR 97060

There is also an Amazon Wishlist that has items which can be purchased for the boxes. https://smile.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/2AE4S0UGINQ6S/ref=smi_ext_lnk_lcl_cl

Finally, you can spread the word to your family and friends! The more people that know about, and support, the project, the more children we are able to help!! Thank you for visiting the page and for supporting The Boxes of Love Project!

11/03/2026

Our shelves are restocked, and it's all thanks to YOU! 🪥💛

A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated toothbrushes and toothpaste for our September Most Needed Item drive!

These everyday essentials may seem small, but they make a big difference for children entering foster care. Brand-new toiletries help provide a sense of comfort, dignity, and normalcy during an incredibly difficult time. Most children entering foster care don't have any personal items, including essentials like toothbrushes.

We are so grateful for this community and the way you continue to show up for these sweet kiddos, one thoughtful donation at a time!

11/02/2026

🎁 Our Most Needed Item for November: Gift Cards for Teens! 💛

As we prepare for the holiday giving season, gift cards are one of the biggest ways you can help us support the teens we serve! 🎄

A gift card might seem like a small gift, but for a teen navigating so much change, it can mean something incredibly important: the freedom to choose something for themselves.

Our teen Boxes of Love are filled with brand-new clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and comfort essentials. But gift cards give teens the opportunity to pick out something that reflects their own style, interests, and personality.

Maybe it's a new outfit they feel confident wearing, a pair of shoes they've been wanting, or a book they can't wait to read. It's about giving them a little independence, a sense of normalcy, and something to look forward to.

Want to donate a gift card this November? Here's how:

🛍️ Purchase a gift card with a $25 minimum to one of our preferred stores (Target, Nike, Kohl's, or Dick's Sporting Goods), or another quality clothing, shoe, or bookstore.
📬 Mail your gift card to:
The Boxes of Love Project
P.O. Box 702
Troutdale, OR 97060
📍 Drop it off at one of our local donation sites (locations listed on our website).
📧 Email an eGift card to [email protected]

Every gift card helps us give a teen something that matters during the holidays and beyond: choice, confidence, and the joy of receiving something that's just for them. 💛

10/30/2026

🎄 Want to host a Boxes of Love Giving Tree this holiday season? It’s easy to get involved, and anyone can host! Businesses, schools, churches, offices, clubs, families, friend groups, and private groups are all welcome.

Here’s how it works:
📬 Send us a DM or email [email protected] to sign up.
🏷️ We’ll send you our Giving Tree tags to print or share digitally.
🎄 Display your tags on a tree, garland, bulletin board, or however you’d like.
🛍️ Participants choose a tag, shop for the brand-new item listed, and return it to you unwrapped.
💛 Once you’re finished collecting, drop off your donations or arrange a pickup with us.

We recommend having your Giving Tree up by early November to give your community plenty of time to participate, but there’s no hard deadline. Most hosts finish collecting at the end of December or throughout January.

And remember, these aren't Christmas gifts for specific children. Your donations help us restock our shelves so we can continue filling curated Boxes of Love for babies, children, and teens entering foster care throughout 2027!

Ready to host? Send us a message! 🌲💛

10/28/2026

📚 Books can help make big, complicated topics a little easier for children to understand.

We love these stories because they can help children in foster care see experiences, emotions, and families that reflect their own on the page. But they can be just as meaningful for children who aren’t in foster care, helping them understand that families can look different, that foster care is part of some children’s stories, and that every child deserves kindness, belonging, and love. 💛

A few of our favorites:
📖 Delly Duck: A Foster Care Story written by Holly Marlow , illustrated by Suzy Garland
📖 Room in the Nest written by Holly Marlow, illustrated by Suzy Garland
📖 The Foster Dragon written by Steve Herman
📖 What Makes a Family? written by Hannah Bruner , illustrated by Sandie Sonke
📖 Home for a While written by Lauren H. Kerstein , illustrated by Natalia Moore
📖 My Worried Worrier written and illustrated by Christopher Fequiere
📖 Love Is written by Diane Adams , illustrated by Claire Keane

Our bookshelves are getting empty, so if you'd like to help us restock any of the books in this list, please visit our Amazon wishlist (https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3UO5BUQGJNCM7?ref_=wl_share), and the books will ship directly to us, OR send us one of your favorite books you think we should include in a Box of Love!

10/26/2026

It’s more than a box of “things.” Here’s why. 💛

New clothes and pajamas mean having something that fits and belongs entirely to you. Shoes mean being ready for school, play, and everyday life. Toiletries and hygiene products help meet immediate needs and make a new routine a little easier.

But we don’t stop at the essentials.

Books, toys, art supplies, stuffed animals, and items chosen around a child’s interests bring comfort, encourage play and creativity, and remind them that someone took the time to think about who they are, not just what they need.

And for foster families welcoming a child, having these items ready means one less thing to figure out during an already significant transition.

That’s why every Box of Love is packed with intention. It’s not about filling a box with "things"; it’s about providing dignity, comfort, joy, and a tangible reminder: you are seen, you are valued, and you are loved. 🎁

Learn how you can help. 🔗 https://www.boxesofloveproject.org/donate

10/23/2026

Meet Nona! 💛 She has been one of our most dedicated Boxes of Love supporters since first learning about our project several years ago. Nona loves donating books with matching stuffed animals, giving children a new story to enjoy and a cuddly friend to call their own. 📚🧸

It’s supporters like her who find their own special way to give and continue showing up year after year who make this mission possible.

Nona, we are so incredibly grateful for your kindness and for all the love you have shared with the children we serve. We are so lucky to have you in our Boxes of Love community!

10/23/2026

Sometimes, the simplest requests carry the most meaning. 💛

This 12-year-old girl recently entered foster care, and for the first time in her life, she has a room of her very own. When asked what she would like for that new space, her requests were incredibly simple: red sheets and her own pillow.

When asked about favorite things or activities, she wasn’t quite sure yet. She knew she loved drawing, being outside, doing her beautiful long hair, and exploring personal care, something she is getting the opportunity to learn more about in her new foster home. And for a backpack? Just something plain, red or pink.

So we took those few requests and built from there. Along with her new clothing, underwear, shoes, and other essentials, we included art supplies, books, hair accessories, toiletries, a soft stuffed animal, and plenty of thoughtful extras chosen just for her.

Because part of having things of your own is discovering what you like. What colors make you happy. What hobbies you want to try. What makes your new room feel like your room.

She didn’t ask for much, but we hope this box gives her so much more: comfort, choice, a little fun, and the freedom to begin discovering all the things that make her her. 🎁

Want to help us fill more boxes like this? Visit our link to learn how. 🔗 https://www.boxesofloveproject.org/donate

10/21/2026

📚 These are some of our favorite books for school-aged kiddos!

We love including books that are fun, comforting, and full of stories that build confidence, kindness, friendship, and imagination. 💛

A few of our favorites:
📖 The Smart Cookie written by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald , published by HarperCollins Children's Books UK
📖 Bun Bun a Lovey Story by Bunnies By the Bay
📖 The Little Guys written and illustrated by Vera Brosgol , published by Roaring Brook Press
📖 A Mischief of Mice written and illustrated by Christie Matheson , published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
📖 Those Darn Squirrels written by Adam Rubin , illustrated by Daniel Salmieri , published by Clarion Books and HarperCollins
📖 The Good Egg written by Jory John, illustrated by Pete Oswald, published by HarperCollins Children's Books UK

What book would you add to our list? 📚🔗 https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3UO5BUQGJNCM7?ref_=wl_share

10/16/2026

Our hearts are with the Silver Rail Elementary School and Bend communities during this heartbreaking time. 💛

We are thinking of the children, families, and everyone affected by this tragedy, and holding them close in our hearts.

10/16/2026

Some stories remind us exactly what a Box of Love is meant to do. 💛🚲

A little boy we previously packed a box for in Eastern Oregon also received a brand-new bike. Since then, his bio mom has worked incredibly hard, and he was recently able to return home to her.

His social worker shared that his mom told her, “I just wish I could afford to get him a bike.” His sweet response?

“But Mom, I have a bike that the angels gave to me!” 🥹 Some of the children call Boxes of Love "angels" because that is what their social worker refers to us as sometimes.

We love this story for so many reasons, but especially because it represents something so important to us. Everything we give belongs to the child. Whether they remain with a foster family, move to another caregiver, or reunify with their bio parents, we want their Box of Love and belongings to go right along with them.

Some people might think a bike is an "unnecessary" item for a child entering foster care, but we disagree. Bikes, toys, crafts, and other skill-building items are foundational for developing motor skills, social skills, having fun, and ultimately being a kid. These types of items can be expensive, and for bio and foster families struggling to pay for a child's basic needs, it is a huge financial relief when we include these things.

The heart of our mission is supporting the child, wherever their journey takes them. We're so happy this bike can come home with him and be one small source of joy for a family working so hard to begin their next chapter together.

Address

117 NE Roberts Avenue
Gresham, OR
97030

Telephone

+15035029044

Website

http://www.boxesofloveproject.org/

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