In Kind Boxes

You are loved

Journal

January Update

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In January we launched our Nationwide Gifting Program. We selected seven mamas to give gift boxes to based on their need, and also on the way they are giving back in their own community. Another donation made was to the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Women’s Clinic. They received 25 gift boxes, and we plan to be back again in February, as we’ve been told there is a baby boom happening!

We were very lucky to have connected with Sara Kalish last month. She is an amazing photographer, who specializes in newborn photography. Sara hosted a giveaway on her Instagram page for us, and took some beautiful gift box photos for us that we’ll be sharing soon. Thank you Sara for helping us build awareness for what we’re doing. If you are looking for a newborn photographer go and check out her website– Sara now offers virtual sessions!

In other exciting news, our gift box sponsorship program is now up and running in both Chicago, and Seattle. In Chicago gift boxes are being sent monthly to Chicago Birthworks Collective, and in Seattle, Babies of Homelessness. 

We look forward to expanding our reach across the United States, and helping more moms feel loved through the gift of our boxes. Thank you for your continued support. We can’t wait to see what this year brings!

November Update

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We kicked off November with the announcement of our gift box donation drive. The holiday season brings a large demand for our gift boxes. As always, we want to help as many families as we can, so we asked for extra help from you. Your donations are important because we use those funds to purchase the products that go inside our boxes. Donated gift boxes contain the same items as the ones we donate. We believe very mama and baby deserves the same high standard of care. To make donated gift boxes extra special, we are including a special card that wishes mamas hope and joy for the holidays~ and it’s signed with the name of the mama it was donated on behalf of, or the name of the generous business who made a donation to In Kind. We are so grateful for our kind and supportive community.

The day we posted about our donation drive, something wonderful happened. Cat & Nat shared about In Kind’s mission in their Instagram stories!!! We had an outpouring of support over the coming days and weeks. Our second and third biggest days on record for website traffic came because of that act of kindness from them. We are so grateful to Cat & Nat for giving us love. We love following Cat & Nat on social media. They are such a source of laughter and fun, and they set an amazing example of being kind, and lifting others up along with them.

Here is a random fact for you about our Instagram audience- Toronto, Canada is ranked #2 in our top locations of followers. Portland, Oregon is #1, and Sherwood, Oregon (where we’re based) is #3. We’re very thankful to these special Ontarians Cat & Nat, and Sarah Nicole Landry of @thebirdspapaya for sharing about In Kind this year. That may have something to do with it 😉

In November we made gift box donation deliveries to several organizations. Baby Blues Connection does amazing work with moms and families experiencing depression, anxiety or stress and provides them with support. At baby Blue Connection our gift boxes are given to mamas needing an emotional boost. Our gift boxes help mamas feel loved, cared for, and not alone. Next we made a delivery to PDX Diaper Bank. The diaper bank has a cloth diapering program they offer to families, which is a great resource for reducing waste, and diapering on a budget. Families receive our gift boxes as participants in the program to supplement the cloth diapers they receive. What a great gift to new parents!

Our next delivery was to the SHARE- Sherwood Family Resource Center. I was lucky enough to get a tour of their new space while I was visiting. The ladies there have been working really hard to make a great “shopping” experience at their clothing closet. The SHARE center is a resource through the local school district, and we’re so happy to provide young families with gift boxes, to help get them off to a great start. Our final gift box donation was to the Domestic Violence Resource Center. The DVRC provides education, support and empowerment to survivors and their children, who are affected by partner violence. They offer counseling, advocacy, shelter services and community outreach. New or expecting mamas seeking support from DVRC are given a gift box as part of the support they receive.

Other items we were able to pass along to the DVRC were dozens of full size sticks of Earth Mama Organics deodorant. Megan from DVRC mentioned how thankful they are for these because they have a current need for deodorant to add to the hygiene kits they give to families. We’re very thankful to Earth Mama for donating several boxes of deodorant, baby oil, and other miscellaneous products. We’ve been working hard to pass these items along to local families, and other organizations in our community.

We gave multiple boxes of deodorant to Rahab’s Sisters in Portland, boxes of deodorant to families displaced from the forest fires in Otis, who are currently living in hotels. South Portland Young Lives received three boxes including deodorant, and several items for new mamas and babies. Possible with God donation closet also received a box of deodorant. This time of year is when many organizations are in need of hygiene items. We were so happy to pass these products along to those in need. If you are a local organization in need of deodorant please let us know! We would love to get some to you. Reach out to us via email at info@inkindboxes.org.

In November we gave thanks to the wonderful businesses who donated their products to include in our gift boxes this year. We featured a new business each week for the first three weeks of November, highlighting their item as a bonus. Thank you to Bumkins Baby for donating your waterproof bibs, Hvnly Boutique for donating your handmade gemstone earrings, and Lamaze Organics for donating your organic cotton onesies. Your generosity means so much, especially during the craziness that was 2020.

In November we also celebrated our one year anniversary of our first gift box donation delivery. On November 15, 2019 we made our first delivery to the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Women’s Clinic in Hillsboro. We can’t wait to see them in December! We also celebrated picking up our largest order of boxes from production at Packaging Resources Company in Tualatin. The look on their faces when we pulled up to the warehouse with our minivan and SUV was pretty priceless. Next time we’ll have to bring something larger… fingers crossed!

At our board meeting this month, we had the difficult task of selecting two winners for the doula/midwife gift box sponsorship program we’re starting in 2021. Applicants were asked to tell us about their work, and how their programs currently give back, and support families in their communities. We chose one local (Oregon) applicant, and one from another US location. We are excited to announce that Annie from PNW Doulas is our local winner, and Doula Kaytee from Minnesota. Congratulations to you both! We can’t wait to get your first gift boxes on their way!!

I am always so blown away by the kindness, love and generosity In Kind receives. We are so grateful for your support, in all the ways you choose to give back. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

~Maria

October Update

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We had a great month filled with big gift box donation days, and breaking records in sales thanks to Sarah Landry (@thebirdspapaya). Sarah very graciously shared an unboxing of our gift box in her Instagram stories. In doing so, we had five times our biggest day ever in website traffic, and our biggest day in sales. Even bigger than when we were on the local news around Mother’s Day.

We are always so grateful when women with such a large audience such as hers chooses to share about us, because it has a major impact on our nonprofit. The exposure, and support we gain is amazing. It matters in instances like this because we know that with large influence comes a larger demand from organizations/small shops/brands who want to work with Sarah. It means so much to us that she chose to share about In Kind.

You don’t need to have a blue check or thousands of followers to make an impact. Any time someone chooses to share about In Kind, and our mission to help moms is greatly appreciated. Even the smallest acts such as a follow, like or share means a lot to us. We’re thankful for all of it.

This month we partnered with LGBT Mummies Tribe on Instagram to give away a gift box. They are a community organization connecting women’s families worldwide. They’re working to educate, share and celebrate. We were excited to offer their wonderful community of mamas a gift box.

A second giveaway happened during an Instagram Live with Dr. Jessica Shepherd, and LeToya Luckett. The two ladies discussed pregnancy, delivery and postpartum in a real, honest, and hilarious way. There are so many things that were brought up that you can only learn in conversation with other moms- things you won’t find in pregnancy books. It was a really great Live and is posted on LeToya’s feed on October 18 if you want to go back and watch. During the event Dr. Shepherd discussed our gift box with the audience, and why it makes such a great gift for a new mom. She then offered the gift box as a prize to one lucky participant!

We had a few gift box donation days in October. Virginia Garcia’s Women’s Clinic received their 4th delivery this year, totaling 100 boxes to them so far in 2020. We were also able to deliver to the Mother and Child Education Center in Portland, and a special gift box donation to Sunshine Division. Sunshine Division is working with families displaced from the recent fires in Oregon, and we wanted to help. We donated gift boxes to be given to new/expecting mamas receiving support from Sunshine Division during this crazy time.

We recently decided to start a new program next year. We wanted to help reach more moms, and support the amazing work of doulas/midwives in the process. Our application for the gift box sponsorship program for doulas and midwives was open all month. We are excited to read through the submissions from all over the US. 2 winners will be announced by December 1, 2020. Winners will be receiving a gift box a month in 2021 to support their work with parents within their community.

I have spent this month trying to prepare myself for the holiday shopping season. It’s hard to know how it will go as I don’t have much to compare it to. Our first gift boxes were available for sale right before Thanksgiving last year. With COVID this year, it will be interesting to see how it all goes- especially with shipping!

We have some fun things planned for the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Thank you for being here and for your support.

~Maria

August Update

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We started off August with a donation delivery to Virginia Garcia’s Women’s Clinic in Hillsboro. This was our third delivery to them this year! We love supporting the amazing work they do at VG. Moms receive an In Kind gift box during their postpartum care visit there based on need. 

Another organization we donated to this month was The Mother and Child Education Center. The women there have been working extra hard during COVID, offering support in a variety of ways. The Mother and Child Education Center provides prenatal & parenting classes, supplies such as diapers, clothing and food, and access to additional resources through community partners. They strive to empower clients to gain healthy parenting habits, to understand safe sleeping for infants; and to achieve personal goals such as self-sufficiency, a healthy environment for children, and a voice for advocating for themselves and their children.

We started a new partnership with Road to Hope. Road to Hope provides housing, help and hope to pregnant mothers in crisis. We love that they offer moms emotional support, help them set and achieve personalized goals, and address barriers to their success. They provide the connections to needed community resources and walk alongside our mothers on their Road to Hope.

Another thing we love to do besides donation deliveries, is host giveaways!! This month we were so grateful to partner with Cat & Nat, and offer a signed copy of their MomTruths Game along with one of our gift boxes. It means so much to us when people want to support our mission to help moms.

This month we also had the pleasure of attending the opening of OnPoint Community Credit Union in Sherwood. There we were presented with a donation for $2500. We’re so grateful to have local businesses in our community who care so much about giving back.

During August we registered for the #BeKind21Challenge. We look forward to sharing our daily acts of kindness in September. Go to the Blog post dedicated to the event for more information, and to print your copy of our kindness calendar. 

We’re regularly asked how people can support us. There are several ways, and not all of them cost money, only a moment of your time.

*Donate- we rely on funding to purchase the supplies that go into our boxes. We are a volunteer run organization, so all funds we receive go directly back to furthering our mission to help moms.

*Purchase- our shop has three items available for purchase. If you don’t know anyone who is expecting, but would like to order something, our “You are loved” sticker is a great option.

*Add us to your Amazon Smile account. The Amazon app even allows for you to add your amazon smile recipient. Find that option under settings.

*Host a Facebook birthday fundraiser for us. Help spread awareness for In Kind, and raise money for a great cause!

*Support us on social media. Follow along with us on Instagram or Facebook, and like or comment on our posts. 

Thank you for following along with us, and for your continued support!

~Maria

July Update

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In honor of our first year I want to share with you a bit more about the process of getting In Kind going, and how it all started. In July last year we had all the official paperwork completed to create In Kind, and get it registered as a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Each step took a lot of patience, and thought. At the time we weren’t even sure what our gift boxes would look like, or what exactly would go in them. I just knew I wanted to give a gift to moms to help them during their fourth trimester.

My goal for gift boxes was for moms to feel loved and cared for. I wanted to give a gift that was high quality, substantial and lasting. We’ve all seen free gifts given with samples and coupons- I was looking for the opposite of that. Those gifts are very wasteful, and they don’t make a true impact on the family receiving them. I wanted our gift boxes to be filled with items that moms could use for the first months after baby’s arrival, if not longer. I also wanted to be proud of what I was giving- to be confident in saying that I would purchase and use those items myself.

I am so proud and thankful to say that we have achieved our goal. We are so grateful to Earth Mama Organics, Kindred Bravely, and Workman Publishing for their willingness to partner with us and support our mission to help mamas. They said Yes to us, when we had heard so many No’s. It’s tough being so new and small, and asking people for help. All I can say is perseverance is key. Just because someone says no to you, doesn’t mean you’re not worthy. It just means they’re not for you.

While we were trying to find products for our boxes, I was also trying to figure out how big the gift box itself would be. Not only that, but in order to have boxes made, we also needed a logo to put on the box. So many little things all had to come together- what felt like all at once. I am so thankful I had the support of the Board to bounce ideas off of. Being open to discussion and feedback about ideas can seem like a scary idea, but it has been an important part of how it all came together.

In July we were able to go back to Ronald MacDonald House and do a gift box donation. They had been closed due to COVID, and we’re so thankful they’ve been re-opened and are now accepting donation deliveries. They have two locations in Portland, and our boxes get divided between the two, so mamas at both places can receive gift boxes as needed. We’re so happy to be able to give mamas the gift of essentials, especially in situations when they’ve ended up at RMH unexpectedly- not having their delivery bag/diaper bag on hand.

This month we were very excited to receive a grant check in the mail from the City of Sherwood. We had applied for a grant through the Community Enhancement Program, which would help us to further support the Sherwood Family Resource (SHARE) Center over the coming year. We can’t wait to make a delivery to their new space in the Fall.
We also had some really fun giveaways including one with Kristina Kuzmic. She is someone I have been following for a long time. Her videos on motherhood always make me laugh, cry and everything in between. Kristina recently released a book, and was supposed to be on tour right now but COVID had other plans. She has since been hosting weekly giveaways on Instagram. We’re so thankful Kristina chose our gift box as one of the prizes to give away. That kind of exposure for us was amazing!! I’m always grateful to people who show us support in this way by sharing what we do. With more exposure, comes more support for In Kind, and means we can help more mamas!

Thank you for being here. We are so grateful for your support. Your donations, purchases, social media support (follows, likes, shares) matter. They all help us further our mission to help mamas. Even the smallest things mean so much! I couldn’t do what I do without you. I was telling Cheryl recently that I finally feel like I’ve found what I’m meant to do. In Kind is my fourth baby. Helping people is my passion. I can’t wait to see where this all goes. I’d like to be able to help every mama who needs it. Cross your fingers that one day we can!

~Maria

June Update

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Reflecting back over the month, I spent a lot of time listening, learning and discovering.  It is very important in our mission to help moms, that we make sure we strive to help ALL mamas. This month we have been focused on trying to give some extra love to organizations supporting Black mamas in particular. We have always been, and will continue to remain an organization that leads with love and kindness.  We are here to support you on your journey through motherhood. We see you, we hear you. You matter to us. You are not alone.

In June as businesses and organizations slowly began to reopen we were able to do donation deliveries to our local partners! Hooray!! The Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center’s Women’s Clinic in Hillsboro, the Mother and Child Education Center, and the Domestic Violence Resource Center were all open to receive deliveries. It felt great to reconnect in person and help mamas in our community in a bigger way than we have been able to during quarantine. During June we sent out care packages to Chicago Birthworks Collective, One Love Doula Services, and Our Mother’s Light pregnancy care centers. Care packages included gift boxes, swaddle blankets, and some fun extras donated to us by Earth Mama Organics, and Happy Little Camper Baby. 

We have also been busy with giveaways on social media. We do regular gift box giveaways on Instagram, and sometimes our favorite mama/lifestyle influencers give them away too. One that was very special to us was with Lynzy from @lynzyandco. She has a “Community Giving” program, where she helps a pregnant mama in need by sharing an amazon wishlist of the mama, and helps the recipient fulfill her wish list of needed items. This month she went beyond that and gave her one of our gift boxes, as well as a maternity photo shoot, and doula services. We hope to be part of this amazing program again once Lynzy’s baby arrives.

Stay tuned for LOTS of fun giveaways in July. We will be doing plenty of celebrating because July is our birthday month!! Follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss out. 

We hope you love the latest additions to our box. Boring goats donated the most adorable “non-scents” soaps for us. Get yours in your box while supplies last! We also had beautiful cards donated to us by Twigs Paper. If you are gifting your box to someone, we will happily include your message on a card and send it along with your gift. Type your message in the note section at checkout, or send us an email with the recipient’s name and address, so we know whose box you’re adding it to. Lastly, to help protect mama and baby from the summer sun, we added mineral sunscreen to the box. Earth Mama’s mineral sunscreen lotion provides great protection for sensitive skin.

Your support in helping us grow means the world to us! Thank you so much for being here. 

~Maria

May Update

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May was a month of collaborations and partnerships in celebration of moms. Our first partnership of the month was with a group of amazing female artisans/makers from Portland. We gave away an amazing prize package in perfect timing for Mother’s Day. After that we participated in giveaways with some wonderful mama influencers on Instagram (@honestlymommy, @kimperry, and @mrsbrittanypride). We were also lucky enough to partner with some local businesses (The Hungry Hero, and Sip City Coffee) and give their customers Mother’s Day gift sets from Que Bella Beauty. The final collaboration in May was with the wonderful Bethany Caruso from Elle and Lu Flowers. Bethany is a local mama, who makes the most beautiful floral arrangements. Please check her out if you’re looking for a bouquet for a special event.

In May we were fortunate to receive a donation of beautiful personalized half bars of “non-scents” soaps from Boring Goats. The soap will be included in both donated and purchased boxes. Twigs Paper sent us gorgeous cards for us to include in boxes. When customers wish to include a personalized message in their gift box, we include a complimentary card a special touch. Twigs cards are made in the United States on recycled materials and printed with nontoxic, soy based inks. We were also very excited to be featured on two separate local news programs. First, Molly Reihl interviewed Maria for KPTV’s More Good Day Oregon, and then Jenny Hansson featured In Kind in her Positive Vibes segment on KOIN. We are so grateful to both ladies for taking the time to meet with Maria, and learn more about In Kind, and who we help. To watch the interviews please go to our media page.

As COVID 19 has kept many of our partner organizations very limited in terms of their services and closed to our deliveries, we still managed to ship items to organizations in need. We participated in the Virtual Baby Shower that Kim Perry hosted for mamas in need in Massachusetts, Stork & Cradle in New York, and more giveaways through local mom groups on Facebook. We are always looking for mamas to help. If you have a suggestion for an organization you feel could benefit from our boxes please email us and let us know!

April Update

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This month we were able to donate nearly 30 boxes to families! That’s almost double what we were able to give away last month, and brings our grand total of donated boxes to over 150!! Two organizations who received a donation of boxes were Family Place Relief, and The Sherwood Family Resource Center. Thank you to everyone who has supported us by making box purchases. We are so grateful for your support. And to everyone else who is cheering us on in other ways, we are thankful for you too. Every “small” act means a lot. 

We took part in a fundraising social media event called Earth Day Oregon in April. It aligned well with our goal to use products in our boxes that are safe for baby and mama to use on their skin, but also safe for the environment. That is why we purchase organic, natural, nontoxic, reusable products whenever we can. We also try and source them locally. We’re so lucky to have Earth Mama Organics so close! 

We are very thankful to the five local businesses who held fundraisers for us, and donated to In Kind during the event. Our Earth Day Oregon business partners were:

*Midnight Cookies Delivery

*Blaze Fitness

*BBTeaJars

*Essential Fit Co

*Fat Milos

We are very lucky to have such kind and generous local businesses willing to offer support in such a tricky time for the world.

Speaking of generosity, we had 2 new items added to our gift boxes- gemstone earrings made by a mama from Canada (find her on Facebook or Etsy @HVNLYBOUTIQUE, and white organic cotton onesies from Lamaze Organics. These items bring the value of the box well over its purchase price. Get yours now while supplies last!

Because of COVID-19 we have been doing regular gift box giveaways on our Instagram and Facebook pages. Being at home with the kids all day, every day is a lot, and we try our best  to be a source of kindness and support. Please go to our page and follow along! You can find us @inkindboxes.