By Jacob Fehr
THE Shoebox Project for Women is a Canadian charity supporting women affected by or at risk of homelessness.
Each year around the holidays, organization volunteers collect donations of shoeboxes containing items any woman might enjoy or find useful and distribute them to local groups supporting women facing homelessness, such as Haldimand & Norfolk Women’s Services.
Since 2023, The Dover Cheese Shop has been Port Dover’s drop-off point for contributions to The Shoebox Project. Business owner Jenny Ball said she’s happy to support the initiative.
“I’m a woman, we’re a woman-owned business. I think it’s important to support something that gives back to women in our community,” Ms. Ball said.
Last year, the organization’s Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk chapter received 395 shoeboxes, with 105 coming from Norfolk. The Dover Cheese Shop collected 26.
Ms. Ball said they had enough to fill “every need in the area,” meaning no woman in Norfolk eligible to receive a shoebox went without one. This year, she hopes to collect “as many as we possibly can” with a goal of 40.
The organization asks donors to include approximately $50 worth of items and a card or note with a holiday greeting or message of support in each shoebox. The shoeboxes should be decorated.
Recommended items include $10–$15 gift cards for grocery and drug stores, useful daily essentials (body wash, face cleanser, lip balm, deodorant, hair care products, and body lotion), little luxuries (small accessories, makeup, journals, pens, hand cream, chocolate, candy, and nail polish), and seasonal items (gloves, hats, scarves, mittens, socks, sunscreen, and reusable containers).
The drive runs until Thursday, December 4.
Those interested in supporting it can leave a shoebox full of items at The Dover Cheese Shop, 307 Main St., or donate online.
To learn more about The Shoebox Project, go to www.shoeboxproject.ca.
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Originally published November 19, 2025
