How does it work?

Step 1: Find and wrap your box

Find an empty medium-size shoe box, approximately 18 x 30 x 13cm, wrap the lid and box separately in wrapping paper.

Step 2: Choose the items you’d like to pack and remember to make the box fun and educational 

All items must be NEW. Please always include the essential items plus one from each category.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS: Toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap! 

TOYS - something to love - Bear, soft toy, tennis ball, finger puppet, jigsaw, yo-yo, small musical instrument, playing cards, small trucks and cars, dolls, jewellery, make-up, hair accessories

STATIONERY - something to do - books - (simple english), pens, pencils, colouring book, notepad, picture/puzzle book, chalk, pencil case, stickers, calculator, etc.

HYGIENE ITEMS - something to use - toothbrush & toothpaste, hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bar of wrapped soap, flannel. (No liquids please)

OTHER ITEMS - Sunglasses, cap, sun hat, bangles, necklaces, watch, ball, skipping rope, cards, etc

Step 3: Drop off at your school or designated location for Box of Hope to pick up and send off to a child in need!

Tell us a bit about Box of Hope and how it came about. 

The founders Nicole Woolhouse and Harriet Cleverly brought the idea from England to Hong Kong when they moved here with their young children. It started in one school with 800 boxes and now is in 150+ schools and last year we did 35,000+ boxes. I became a Director 3 years ago which has been incredibly rewarding as we continue to grow and expand our reach. 

How many boxes have you delivered to families so far?

Over the 12 years we have proudly delivered almost 200,000 boxes to support children in less privileged circumstances. I think Box of Hope teaches two things, that charity begins at home and small steps from a collective community can make a big difference! It opens up a dialogue at school and at home that makes ‘giving back’ a part of life. 

What advice do you have for families who want to get their kids involved in giving back? 

We truly believe that teaching children about Philanthropy early will breed a generation of compassion and sharing.

Why is Hong Kong a good place for Box of Hope? 

I have found the Hong Kong people to be very generous with their time and money, as can be seen by our amazing growth over the years. We are also in a position where there are so many people in need here and in our close communities around wider Asia so we really have an opportunity to make a difference to the whole region. 

Finally, how can people get involved? 

Other than taking part in creating boxes to send to underprivileged children, Box of Hope always needs people. We are currently run solely by volunteers and we always need people. Bring your skills to our team and get involved with volunteering across our various departments from box checking to joining our Board - if you have the time and energy we would love to meet you.