General FAQs
How will families connect to parishes? And will there be some support for parishes?
One of the activities in each box will connect the family back to their church community. (Example: if the topic is sharing, two sets of cookie mix might be included and the instructions are to make one for yourself and the other for someone else in your church.)
In the Diocese of Louisiana, parishes are subscribing and identifying as supporting parishes. Subscribers can access the list of supporting parishes to find a “Little Circle of Good News” (a small group of users within the parish). These churches will get a parish box that will let them know what the families are doing and how to support them.
How can a diocese connect?
In the next few years, additional Episcopal dioceses will also be able to subscribe and we can help build out their network for the Little Box of Good News™.
Will you offer the family retreat in other dioceses?
In Louisiana, we are utilizing our smaller, more rural parishes to host these events so that families within the cities can feel like they are getting away on a retreat. This would be a diocesan supported activity that we can help any subscribing diocese offer to their families.
Expanding our Reach
What is online?
We have a website that will be accessible with a subscription and with QR codes found in the box. The website is a chance for families to “go deeper” through longer articles and videos, etc. However, everything needed for the activities is already in the box!
What are your other topics?
The first three boxes will be Prayer, Scripture, and Belonging, all of which are set to release in 2025. More topics about faith will be included in the future.
How are you making it bilingual? Are other languages an option?
The most popular second language in the diocese of Louisiana is Spanish. Therefore, all of the boxes and website (including videos, etc) will be bilingual English/Spanish. If another diocese has a need for a different language combination, that can be addressed in the future.
Each box will contain both English and Spanish so that a family does not have to choose. We are working with individual translators to ensure proper translation and cultural awareness.
Exploring the Boxes
Tell me more about the activities.
The box includes six activities for the family to dig into the topic in a fun and approachable way. Everything needed for the activities will be included. For instance, if the activity is about praying with beads, there will be a kit and instructions for families to make their own prayer beads.
Each element of the box will be something that can be returned to again and again, so it is not a one and done type of experience. At the same time, it will be simple enough that anyone can understand and complete the activities.
What is the quality of the activities in the box?
One of the goals of the Little Box of Good News is to help families live their faith in all aspects of life. In that spirit, we work hard to ensure that every component we provide is ethically and fairly made with an eye toward quality and sustainability. We want these to be boxes you can return to again and again and know that you are also helping individuals, the Earth, and the future.
Who is creating these boxes?
Each box will be created by a team of local clergy, lay people, and nationally recognized experts in the field.
Are you testing your product?
Yes! We have a cohort of 100 test families, only a portion of whom currently attend an Episcopal church regularly. They will be testing each activity with the boxes and then the boxes as a whole before general production. We will follow these families for the life of the grant to judge the efficacy of the boxes and will make adjustments as needed.
Purchase Related Questions
What other benefits are there to subscribing?
Families who subscribe will receive our cute plush lamby for free, and boxes will be automatically shipped to you quarterly for the duration of your subscription.
What if I have more than one child? Will one box still be sufficient?
Yes! Each box is designed with activities for the family to complete together. This might mean taking turns and working together, but that is part of the goal of being a family: exploring and discovering together.
Would a single parent be able to use it?
Yes! Just like our faith, these boxes will be inclusive and affirming. Families depicted will be all shapes and sizes. Perhaps the caregivers doing the activities with the children are grandparents or a family friend. Language within the box will include all of these types of families. (Think “grown ups” and “kids” instead of “parents” and “children.”)
I do not have children. Can I order it for someone else or make a donation?
Of course! We have a special option to order a gift box for someone or to simply donate to an unknown family in need.
How much does it cost?
As is the Episcopalian tradition, we want people to pay as their budget allows. We will have tiered pricing with a discounted option for those who need it as well as the actual cost option and a third option that allows a person to contribute extra. We do not want price to be an obstacle for anyone to experience the Little Box of Good News™!
If I subscribe, can I still get a previously published box?
Yes, of course! Someone can buy any of the boxes that have already been produced, simply by purchasing the single box.