The Happy Boxes Project officially opened its first ever physical space, The Happy Hub, on Gumbaynggirr land in Coffs Harbour recently. Can you tell us about the space and what you’re hoping it will provide? We were so excited to launch The Happy Hub in April 2022. It’s a beautiful and homey space in Toormina. It will be Happy Boxes’ administrative office, packing warehouse, and social space for local Aboriginal women to connect with each other. We also want the Happy Hub to be a space that local businesses can hire out, to host employee volunteer days and participate in a local Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. For a donation fee, businesses can spend the day at the Happy Hub packing Happy Boxes. Perhaps most importantly, we want the Happy Hub to start a movement with Nyami Gawbarri, a culturally safe space for local Goori women. Women of Indigenous infants and preschool age children on the Mid North Coast are more likely to have compromised social and emotional wellbeing when compared to non-Indigenous women. Indigenous women show extremely high rates of depression and anxiety during pregnancy (Ray, Mah & Loxton, 2017). Suicide rates for Indigenous women increase every year as stated in Closing the Gap report 2021. This has a direct impact on the wellbeing of children, families and the wider community. Women are the predominant caregivers and
are the glue that holds communities together. Boxes Project that will help us build and If they are supported and their mental distribute Happy Boxes from our Happy Hub. health is prioritised, communities will thrive, All the information on how to do this is on further closing the gap for Indigenous people our website - www.happyboxesproject.com throughout Australia. If you’re an individual and looking to We are 100% led by Aboriginal women for volunteer, we are always looking for more Aboriginal women and guided, informed and people to join our Happy Boxes Packing teams evaluated by culture alone. Nyami Gawbarri in both Coffs Harbour and Sydney. Please get is a space to encourage self-determination in touch with us to find out more! and community If you’re a business or governance, reconnection corporation and would and community life, like to get involved We want culturally responsive, and with sponsorships or context specific. We are partnerships, or if you’d to send as dedicated to providing like to hire the Happy many Happy Boxes the environment for Hub for an employee filled with self women to come together, volunteer day, we have care products as to heal, to connect and many options available possible. To provide to be inspired to create to help Close the Gap women, regardless and implement support in a meaningful and of their location programs that are needed tangible way. and situation, the for their local Goori What are your hopes enjoyment of life’s people. for the Happy Boxes little luxuries that You rely on volunteers Project heading into we regularly take for to help with packing the future? granted. the boxes, where can Now that we have people learn what’s our first ever physical involved and get in space, we hope we touch if they’d like to can triple the volunteer volunteer? membership of The Happy Boxes Project, There are three main ways you can help The which will enable us to reach more than Happy Boxes Project. You can either create double the communities in 2022. We are very and send your own Happy Box to a remote committed to ensuring women no longer go community, buy a premade Happy Box to without. send, or make a donation towards the Happy Thanks Emma. COFFS COAST
focus
21
