FAQ

What is a Project Love kit?

Project Love kits are small packages of school supplies, each containing a pencil, an eraser, a notebook and a ruler, all sealed in a zipper-closing freezer bag. Project Love kits often include a letter from the participant in Canada to the child who will receive their kit.

Who takes part in Project Love?

Individual classes, whole schools, entire school districts/boards, reading councils, parent groups, Rotary International clubs/districts, youth and community groups, such as cubs, scouts, brownies and guides, can participate in Project Love.

What is a teacher kit?

Kits for teachers should be clearly labelled as such. They are also packages of school supplies, but include items such as felt pens, markers, scissors, crayons, chalk, colored paper, pencil sharpeners, old calendar pictures and visual aids such as maps, inflatable globes, flashcards, etc.

If you are making a teacher kit, we ask you to refrain from including items that are not educational in nature, as this can result in significant duty taxes upon arrival in the destination country.

How do I sign up?

Anyone can register online.

Who coordinates the program?

CODE has a Project Love National Coordinator based in Ottawa. Each district school board, can appoint a District Project Love Coordinator to liaise with the National Coordinator to promote and coordinate the program. Each school should also have a Project Love Coordinator who liaises with the District Coordinator. The District and School Coordinators are volunteers.

How much is a Project Love kit?

One Project Love kit costs about $2.50. This includes approximately $1.75 for materials and approximately $0.75 to help CODE cover program expenses including the costs of shipping. Although the cost of materials varies from region to region across Canada, CODE tries to find suppliers that can keep the cost of the materials down.

Where do I buy the kit materials?

CODE finds suppliers in each province and territory to help groups get the materials they need to assemble Project Love kits at a low cost. Groups may also choose to purchase or seek donations of kit materials from local retailers. Whichever method you choose, with the exception of those purchased from J.P. Richards (which already include the shipping contribution), the minimum suggested shipping contribution to CODE is $0.75 per kit or the balance of what the class/group raises.

Order forms for each provincial supplier can be found under Tools for Project Love, here.

How do we raise money for shipping?

Before you begin, it might be a good idea to determine and set realistic goals for your class or group. You might want to start by deciding how many kits each individual wants to send overseas. Then you can calculate how much money needs to be raised or donated for the Shipping Contribution, and brainstorm about how to do it.

Over the years, CODE has found Project Love participants to be infinitely creative when it comes to raising funds. Activities have ranged from bake sales, to performances, to bottle drives, to students doing extra chores at home.

At one school, the principal cut off a piece of his tie each time the total amount raised reached a new level! Whatever approach or activity you decide upon, we're sure you'll find a way to make it meaningful, fun or downright delicious.

When and how should we assemble our kits?

There is no set date for Project Love, but many participants schedule it around Valentine's Day. Whichever date you decide upon, make sure to prepare for your needs and plan out your activities.

It's probably a good idea to begin collecting large, sturdy boxes in advance so that you can pack your kits for shipping as soon as they have been assembled.

You might want to assign one person to fill out the shipping inventory form, another to pack and tape the boxes, and another to photocopy and affix shipping labels. Your class or group might want to spend the morning writing messages to the students who will receive their kits, and the afternoon assembling them.

Whatever your method or approach, it's best to have a game plan and be prepared.

We have assembled our kits, what now?

Before you seal your boxes, make sure you have counted the number of kits in each and have filled out your Shipping Inventory Form (also can complete online) and the Shipping Label. That way, when distributing the kits locally, the boxes do not have to be opened beforehand and the contents counted.

Please ensure that you pack your kits in sturdy boxes. Should there be any leftover space in a box, stuff it with crumpled paper so that nothing can move around inside. These boxes have a long way to go - by land and by sea - and will be handled often.

Finally, seal your boxes well with h3 packing tape and affix a Shipping Label to each.

How do I ship my boxes to the warehouse?

If you have been contacted by a District/School Project Love Coordinator, s/he may have set up a drop-off point for your boxes. Should this be the case, please work with your coordinator to arrange for their shipment.

Should it not be possible for you to take your boxes to a Canada Post outlet please email or call the National Coordinator at 1-800-661-2633 ext 233 and we will help make other arrangements.

We encourage you to fill out the Canada Post Expedited Parcel Label with your return address (one per box) and take your boxes to a Canada Post outlet, as this will help save CODE thousands of dollars in courier charges. As a registered participant in Project Love, you will receive the Canada Post Expedited Parcel Labels in the Participant Pak. This means the postage for your boxes will be charged to our account, not to you. Please photocopy as many as you require. If you do not have Canada Post Expedited Parcel Labels, e-mail the National Coordinator in Ottawa with your name, school, address and the number of boxes and one will be mailed or faxed to you immediately. Do not ship your boxes by XPRESS POST as this is considerably more expensive.

Canada Post Website:
http://www.canadapost.ca/segment-e.asp

How is my participation acknowledged?

A certificate of participation is issued when you first participate. Each year, thereafter, you will receive a seal to indicate the year of participation to affix to the certificate. You will also receive a receipt for your shipping contribution.

Will my letter be answered?

Feedback from recipients often comes in the form of letters and photographs to CODE. We compile these into packages and forward them to schools. Occasionally, schools and students may receive letters addressed directly to them. It takes several months before the Project Love kits reach their destinations and for recipients to respond. Understandably, schools in the developing world cannot afford to pay postage to send letters back but it is rewarding for them to receive a letter. To encourage letter writing, perhaps enclose a self-addressed large envelope with writing paper included. Please do not be disappointed if you do not receive a letter back. There are many factors prohibiting this from happening: expense, distance from a post office etc.. Project Love, we stress, is not a Pen Pal program.

How do I invite local media?

Yes. CODE includes a sample press release on Project Love for you to adapt and to send to your local media outlets. Why not promote your philanthropy through the media for others to take notice? We appreciate it very much when participants forward their photographs and newspaper clippings of coverage to us. If you have questions about getting your local media involved, you can contact Jana McDade, CODE's Communications Manager at 1 800 661-2633 ext 252 or 613 232-3569 ext 252.

What is Project Love’s environmental impact?

CODE encourages the purchase of school materials made in local regions of Canada so that transportation of such goods have minimal effect on the environment in terms of fuel emissions or fuel use if imported from another country. Also, purchasing goods made in Canada and shipped to a developing country guarantees that Canadian firms have environmentally safe conditions whereas if the goods were produced overseas those environment regulations may not be in place.

CODE encourages the Reuse and Recycle of boxes in which to mail your Project Love kits. We also encourage participants to use our on-line forms saving in paper and trees. When CODE ships the container of Project Love boxes, we use containers that are nearly full- taking advantage of maximum usage and saving on fuel.