Become a Branch of the Soul Box Project

Any individual, group or organization can BECOME a Branch of the Project! As soon as possible, we will post the materials lists and sources along with all the “How-to” instructions so you can make your own backpacks and panels, without our starter kits. Check our Resources page for ideas, downloads and how-to videos.

WE ARE HERE to answer questions, share tips, and help with signage!!

What Can I Do with Soul Boxes?

Since 2017 The Soul Box Project has been raising awareness of the U.S. gunfire epidemic by counting and honoring victims in memorial exhibits, offering healing participation to those seeking solace, and providing dramatic visual support for all initiatives working for a safer, more civil society.

36,000 of the Soul Boxes sent to Portland, Oregon from across the nation were assembled into lightweight, interconnecting panels like this:

Panel-from-Newsletter
  • 1 panel = 98 Soul Boxes
  • 4′ h x 2′ w (folds square for storage)
  • Approximately 3 lbs.
  • A convenient 24″ x 24″ x 24″ moving box perfectly holds 6 panels (or cut down a wardrobe box)

Creating Soul Box panels is an engaging, inclusive activity to make a reusable visual to support your work to reduce gun violence.

Use your Soul Box materials:

  • for a dramatic visual at your events.
  • to attract press coverage – cameras love Soul Boxes!
  • to expand healing participation with Soul Box-folding as another tool to engage your community.
  • to display for an extended time in…a window, hallway, office, lobby?
  • to lend out within your city, state, or region.

Thousands of hand-folded origami Soul Boxes were made by individuals and groups around the country. Our team assembled them into 365 panels of Boxes to span the width of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in October 2021. Over 5,000 visitors viewed the This Loss We Carry exhibit. Media reach was over 500 million.

Pathway between 200-foot-long walls of Soul Box Panels under a canopy
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  • Are you part of an organization working to reduce gunfire trauma, injuries, and deaths by violence, accident, or suicide?
  • Does your church, school, library or civic group want to raise awareness of how deeply gunfire affects communities?

Now, you can make these art-filled panels of Soul Boxes and/or “Backpacks” for displays, marches, walks, and protests to support your efforts to reduce gunfire deaths and injuries.

It may also be possible to borrow another Branches panels. Look for Branch locations to inquire about using their Soul Boxes.

Mt Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, Walnut Creek, CA. June 2023.

FAQs

Yes! They are 4-ft h x 2-ft w x 1.5-in d and weigh less than 3 pounds each. They are lightweight, modular, and easy to install in a variety of ways:

  • tack, screw, or nail into a wall
  • attach to your existing hooks or picture-hanging system
  • hang quickly with S-hooks (provided) or zip ties on a garment rack, photo backdrop stand, horizontal bar, pop-up tent, or rented pipe & drape structure

See various exhibition solutions in our Past Highlights.

Each mesh-backed panel folds in half and slides into a plastic sleeve with cardboard backing. Six panels ship (and store) in a 2’ x 2’ x 2’ cardboard carton. A hatchback vehicle can probably carry 12 panels in two cartons with the back seat down.

Imagine the circumstances and locations you might display them and what other local groups might borrow them. We recommend adopting multiples of six—the number that fit in one shipping carton. We anticipate that 6, 12, or 18 panels will be ideal for most organizations to use and share.

Yes!

We will be available via email for free consultation, as needed, about your use of Soul Boxes and supporting materials..

We will schedule quarterly zoom meetings for the nationwide network of adoptive Branches to share their plans, ask questions, or get ideas from each other.

If/when the contact person in your organization changes, please DO let us know how to stay in touch with you.

PLEASE notify us about your Soul Box creations, events, and exhibits of Soul Boxes in the coming months/years so we can share the details and a photo on our website.

When you post about your activities involving Soul Boxes on social media, remember to tag #SoulBoxProject to expand your reach to our followers. We have pages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn @SoulBoxProject.

We are grateful for your ongoing support that allows us to continue
COUNTING. CARING. CONNECTING.
Our work goes on because of your participation and continued donations.