HAPPY VALENTINE’s DAY
YOU SEND OUT MIRACULOUS LOVE in 2024!
& LOOK AT THE LOVE YOU’VE SOWN SINCE 2013 (3,993 GIFT BAGS)!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY 2024

Last week I spoke with a guy who picks up the bags for one of the shelters "I've been picking up the red bags for years now!" he told me "We're always like 'it's time for the red bags!"

The headline for the Valentine Community Project 2024 is Love Finds a Way! I love that the bags have a life of their own. So many people touch each of these bags and that the bags touch so many people along the way. 

The Valentine Community has packed and gifted 3,993 valentines gift bags since 2013.     

Since last Valentine’s day I moved out of state and gave birth to a baby boy. Babies are amazing teachers of the wonder of how much love a heart can hold. I have found being a new parent a profound testament to the necessity of community. 

It really is nothing short of a miracle that today 548 gift bags will be unwrapped by survivors of domestic abuse and trafficking living in temporary shelter across New York City & the Berkshires. All of this happened without my being there to pack or sort or pick up anything. 

Just as I was trying to find the words to pull the plug on the project for this year, a text came through from an amazing woman who donated over 500 new pocketbooks, a longtime friend of the project donated hundreds of scarves, a pilates studio reached out to say they’d collected goods throughout the year, prayers & money came in…and the extraordinary cupids who pull it all together each year sprung into action. Suddenly it could be done! And suddently it was done!

For children Valentine’s Day is a community holiday: cards are given to and received from kids you like and ones you don’t. At some point Valentine’s Day takes a sharp turn towards romantic love. Loneliness and painful experiences in relationships can make a festival of love sting. I am a firm believer that community is the greatest balm.  The gifts you made possible with your donations of stuff, money, time, and prayers make my heart glow! Thank you for all the love you put into the world! 

As always we wish you a St. Valentine's day brimming with love and delight!

With Much Love,
Emily Valentine Sottile & all the extraordinary people who actually made this all happen

548 VALENTINES

This year you sent love to 548 residents at 14 shelters for people fleeing domestic abuse and trafficking (each serving 9 - 90 families).

Everyone received a red tote bag containing:
♥ Valentine's day card from the Valentine Community
♥ A beautiful new purse
♥ Bag of chocolate kisses
♥ Other goodies (Tartan scarf or fleece, toiletries)

Documentation is light this year! Our focus was just to get the gifts out! Check out gift bags from years past in the navigation menu. If you are inspired by this and would like to join our effort to spread love on Valentine’s Day 2025 please be in touch.

OUR CARD TO THE VALENTINES

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

This tote bag is full of Valentine’s Day goodies, each accompanied by prayers & wishes for your well-being & happiness.

Scores of people came. together from wildly different circumstances to contribute to these gift bags including artists, moms, dads, teenage valentines, wise old ones, school kids, teachers, beauty queens, clergy, people who work with their hands & others who work at desks, some out of work, veterans, healers, people who have endured all kinds of difficulty, souls from diverse spiritual traditions & folks who might not imagine they had anything in common with each other. This community spread out across country wants YOU to know we are rooting for your success, wellbeing & joy.

When you look at or use these things we hope you will remember thus time when you made a big step towards healing. We know you’ll look great when you use or wear these little treasures. We hope you feel strong & beautiful too!

Peace,
Your Valentines