Two well-known women – Jessica Mulroney and Melinda Karlsson – teamed up Tuesday for the launch of a grassroots initiative that brings joy and happiness each holiday season to women who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless.
Mulroney is the wife of TV personality Ben Mulroney and daughter-in-law of former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Although, these days, she’s more known in the media for being best buds with Prince Harry’s fiancée, Meghan Markle.
She co-founded The Shoebox Project in 2011 with her sisters-in-law: Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate Caroline Mulroney Lapham, and Katy and Vanessa Mulroney.
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It all began, she said, as their way of helping one local shelter in Toronto. Today, the annual holiday gift drive has distributed more than 100,000 boxes across Canada to more than 300 shelters.
Mulroney was in town to promote the cause with Karlsson, newlywed wife of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson.
Some 100 invited guests gathered in the cozy and festive presentation centre for Zibi, the mixed-use development that’s going to transform the vacant and derelict pulp and paper district on Chaudière and Albert Islands into a vibrant, diverse and sustainable waterfront community, both in Ottawa and nearby Gatineau.
There was a small-scale model on display of what the 37 acres of commercial, residential, retail and green space will look like in another decade or two.
On hand was Michael Cooper, founder of Dream Unlimited. The Toronto-based real estate development and management company has partnered with Ottawa-based Windmill Development Group on the future development. The presentation centre is just over the river in Gatineau at 3 Eddy St.
Dream is also the national corporate sponsor of The Shoebox Project.
From Windmill was Jeff Westeinde with his wife, Colleen Westeinde. She was recently honoured at an annual awards dinner hosted by St. Joe’s Women’s Centre, a local organization that provides support and services to homeless women.
Sighted in the crowd of about 100 invited guests were some of the Ottawa Senators players’ wives and girlfriends, out to support the cause, as well as loyal participants of the gift drive and local business owners who’ve offered up their stores and shops as shoebox drop-off locations.
Celebrated philanthropic couple Barbara Crook and Dan Greenberg arrived late, but they came bearing shopping bags brimming with enough little luxuries to stuff 12 shoeboxes, along with leftovers for a dozen more.
Crook had just come from the Rideau Centre, where she had picked up a few final items to include in her boxes. While at the downtown shopping mall, she crossed paths with a young panhandler from the Shepherds of Good Hope homeless shelter. Crook took the time to hear her story. She also offered to buy the young woman some food. Turned out, she had a craving for a Tim Hortons doughnut (don’t we all?).
“Her face was in my mind the entire time I made up our Shoeboxes,” Crook later told OBJ.social.
Tara Shields, who is helping to coordinate the shoebox drive in Ottawa, says they’re aiming to collect 2,000 boxes this year. She suggests that participants look for nice items — not cheap junk — to make recipients feel special. Recommended gifts include cosmetics, hair and body washes, nut-free chocolates, bus fare, warm mitts, teas and gift cards.
Participants are encouraged to include a warm and supportive message, and to wrap the box and lid separately in order for the shoeboxes to be easily opened for inspection.
As for how much money to spend on gifts, look at budgeting about $50 for each shoebox.
– caroline@obj.ca
