Butterfly Boxes

WELCOME

Butterfly Boxes began as a way to recognize and say "welcome" to the thousands of refugees who have historically landed in Oregon each year. These newest of Oregonians come from around the globe, and often arrive with few of the basic necessities or home comforts we take for granted. Butterfly Boxes seeks to bridge that gap, with airport welcome bags, made by volunteers and delivered to the airport by our partners at Catholic Charities. These bags are filled with basic necessities like toiletries and towels, comfort items like stuffed animals and dolls, and organizational tools like calendars and folders to help settle into life in Oregon. The items in these bags are generously donated by people all over the country, and bags are packed and organized by our hard working volunteers.

The future of refugee resettlement is changing, and much is unknown. What we do know is that now, more than ever, our communities need to come together to support some of our most vulnerable members. Butterfly Boxes is committed to not only extending a welcome upon arrival, but helping to bring those established in the community together with our newest neighbors. At our community potluck dinners, we come together over a meal to get to know each other a little better.

Whether through bags given at the airport or over a shared meal, the heart of Butterfly Boxes will always be a simple, "Welcome".