GIVE a gift to a child in need with the Santa Shoebox Project, urges local co-ordinator of the annual initiative, Liana Erlank.
Pledges opened on Tuesday, 1 September, visit www.santashoebox.org.za to get involved in the project. The 2015 target is 100,000 gift boxes and beyond.
With ‘giving for good’ as this year’s theme, the heartwarming Santa Shoebox Project aims to collect festive season gifts for children from vulnerable social backgrounds. Over the past nine years, 456,004 ‘gifts of joy’ have placed a smile on many faces of youngsters at orphanages, children’s homes and care centres across the country, and as far as Namibia.
This year the goal is to go beyond this challenge with innovative new initiatives that take ‘giving for good’ beyond the boundaries of the shoebox drive, with the goal of making positive changes in the lives of these children – for good.
The Virtual Box option that was introduced in 2014 is proving popular with donors who don’t live close to any of the Santa Shoebox drop-off zones to make their pledges online.
Last year additional avenues were introduced to support the core shoebox drive, and these focus on collecting complementary, critical items. Kind-hearted donors can now also show their support by donating raincoats to children who live in high winter rainfall areas, to keep them dry on their way to school every day.
Donors are encouraged to involve their own children in the process of personally selecting the name of a child from one of the centres or children’s homes,and putting together his or her individualized, age appropriate Santa Shoebox gift. Uniquely, this means each participant knows the first name, age and gender of the child. Gift boxes have to be filled according to the guidelines provided and include some practical necessities such as toothpaste and toothbrush, face cloth and soap, sweets, educational supplies, a toy and an item of clothing.
Corporate clients and other benefactors have an opportunity to make a financial donation towards the Santa Shoebox Legacy Fund, created to provide additional support to children’s facilities. With the first funding received, the Santa Shoebox Project has partnered with the South African Red Cross Society to train caregivers at selected beneficiary organisations in basic first aid.
“I encourage the community to get involved in this awesome project. We also need items for our first aid table, for boxes that get dropped off, but have some items missing. We call on companies and individuals interested in sponsoring extra items for that purpose,” said Liana.
The Toti drop-off zone is the 1st Amanzimtoti Scouts, 4 Drake Road on Thursday and Friday, 29 and 30 October from 8am to 4pm and Saturday, 31 October from 9am to 2pm.
If anyone twould like to volunteer or donate, visit www.santashoebox.org.za or contact Liana on 082-612-7772 for more information.
