ENTREPRENEURSHIP
shipping out hugs
ME TO YOU BOX SENDS CURATED CARE PACKAGES TO DISTANT LOVED ONES
WRITTEN BY JACKIE GOLDSCHNEIDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
Sometimesthe best gifts are the ones you give “ just because ” – unexpectedgestures that let people know you ’ re thinking of them no matter how far away they are . Annyssa Cantor and Brianna Ricks , sisters separated by distance , have always sent each other gifts just because , and that sentiment is at the core of Me To You Box , their new care package business .
Me To You Box offers clients the optionofsending acuratedcare package to aloved one away from home , on either amonthly , occasional or one-time basis .
“ Brianna and Ihave always mailed littlethings to each other ’ s children just to say Iloveyou ,” says Cantor , 43 , from her Wyckoff home , where she assembles the boxes that then ship all over the country . “ Our father used to sign his cards ‘ just because ’ when we were kids , and that always made us feel special ,” she says .
Though Ricks , 45 , amother of three , lives in California , the sisters have built athrivingbusinessaslong-distance partners in justafew months .
The majority of their boxes are shipped to college students , so the options are largely based on acollegiate schedule . “ We offer three different types of boxes right now ,” explains Cantor . “ There ’ s aMonthly Box , where you can choose to send justone month or all eight months of the collegiate year , and we also offer an XOXO Box and our All-Nighter Box .” They ’ re available for either male or female recipients , with itemsgeared towards what ayoung adult might want and need when they ’ re away . Details for the differentboxes are available at metoyoubox . com .
“ The contents of aMonthly Box are a surprise and every month is different ,” says Cantor , who carefully selects each item with Ricks based on several categories . “ We do atech item , health and beauty , atrendygift , asnack and adorm essential ,” she says , adding that while clientscannotcustomizethe items in a $ 34.99 Monthly Box , they can go online and see what ’ s inside once the boxes shipatthe beginning of the month . “ We have differentadd-ons , like cookies and wallets , so people can customizethat way ,” Cantor notes . Every box also includesapersonalized message from the sender .
In response to parents asking for a special package to send to children they miss terribly , they created the XOXO Box , aone-time box for $ 59.99 , which they describe as an extra specialhug from home . “ We put in items like a cozy Sherpa fleeceblanket , socks , some Brownie Brittle , little comforts that say I love you ,” says Cantor .
The All-nighter Box , for $ 49.99 , contains study essentials likeatravel coffee mug , organic energy chews , USB memory stick and Badger focus balm , all designedfor students preparingfor exams .
“ When we started this we decided
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28 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2017 | ( 201 ) FAMILY 201magazine . com