After discharge from a 13 month, horrific inptient admission in 2015, shortly followed by the suicide of my best friend, I commited myself to making a difference, using my own experiences. There is a gap in metal health services, and i wanted to fill it by encouraging others to become their own heros. The recovery shoebox project started in 2016, and was officially launched in may 2017. No one is too well or too ill to recieve a box and everyone is deserving of better. Each box is a starter kit containing items to promote self care, distraction and distress tolerance in the hopes that individuals can learn to cope with their thoughts, emotions and improve their general mental health. So far 277 boxes have been sent, 64 boxes are ready to be sent and there are currently 360 orders waiting. Despite some generous and thoughtful donations, the majority of this project has been self funded, making the process slow. I’m hoping to raise some funds to speed up the rate at which i can get boxes out to those in need.