On December 21, 2011 my daughter Ellie Morin accidentally overdosed. She was 20 years old. She had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few months prior. I often think that Ellie's sensitivity and big heart were too much for this world. Don McLean's lyrics, "This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you," frequently come to mind.

Ellie was extremely devoted to her family and friends and was very close to her brother and sister.

Ellie's sister Katie wrote this about her sister, "You are the one who reminds me every day to be kind to others, not to judge or make assumptions, to give it all I've got and not take life too seriously, to laugh a lot and make people feel good, to be generous - with my time, my knowledge, and my heart - to tell the truth and to spend the last $20 in my pocket on fried chicken for my friends if that's what I want to do."  That's the kind of kid Ellie was - sharing her last $20 to buy fried chicken for her friends.

My family, needless to say, was devastated and struggled to find a place to put our grief. Project Ellie was born from that grief. My husband Scott, son Matt, daughter Katie, and I wanted to find something to do on the day of her passing that would provide us with something meaningful, would honor Ellie, and would help bring us healing. Matt is credited with the idea of creating gift bags for people experiencing homelessness, and that is what we did. On Dec. 21, 2014, family and close friends roamed the streets of Boston giving out bags filled with hats, gloves, gift cards, and food items to homeless individuals we encountered, and we have done so on Dec. 21 every year since then.

The outpouring of support from family and friends helped transform Project Ellie into something bigger than a single night event on the streets of Boston, and we will continue to stay committed to finding avenues to promote tolerance and spread kindness, attributes that mirror Ellie's spirit.