Our school send shoeboxes out to Romania. It might be a local rather than national charity (we're in the southwest) as the person who oversees it comes to the school to give a talk and seems to be based near hear. There are newsletters etc which tell you where money (they do other things besides the shoeboxes) goes and gives piccies of the shoeboxes being given out etc. I was wary after SP, but it seems very genuine.

And I can't remember its name! I'll try and find out from school.

hear? here

Thanks jimjams

wat is samaritans purse?

They do a local one here just called the shoebox appeal i think for children in childrens homes or terminally ill etc. There is a tree in the town centre with stars on with the age and sex of a child and you buy(or donate) to that age and sex and teh organisers will pass it on

what

I rememeber a teacher at my previous school organising shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child - why is it a no-no now?

Can you explain, please, what's wrong with Operation Christmas Child? That's the one our local organisations have always done.

Samaritans Purse are the organisation behind Operation Christmas Child where our schools organise for children to send shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts for underpriveleged children overseas. Sounds a lovely idea but what they don't tell you is that they often also stuff the boxes full of Christian information leaflets and propaganda and children have been denied the boxes until they agree to convert to Christianity.

I might actually look around and see if there's something local, we have a childrens' hospice nearby.

Oh.
OK.

article here

Humanist Association has some ideas here

Last year I did the Link Romania one

Sorry it was Moldova not Romania here There was a lot of feedback from the person who runs the charity.

Sorry it was Moldova not Romania here There was a lot of feedback from the person who runs the charity.

great, they look good, will be nice to suggest alternatives to him, thanks!

do christian response add any christian literature to the boxes?

Sorry to be dense here but I can't see for any of these links anyone accepting the shoe box gifts at all. Am I missing something? Thanks

I think this is a bit over-hyped; there was a fuss about one partner organisation used by Samaritan's Purse a couple of years ago I think, but then these stories get out of hand. The current leaflets make it clear that the boxes are handed out to all children without any regard for faith/race/background etc, and that where culturally appropriate, bible story booklets are also made available seperately from the boxes for families to take if they want. I have no prob with this (and organised a collection for them at work!).

Rotary do one which has no religious aspect. My dds do the boxes through Brownies.

Last year our office sent boxes for bristish service personnel serving abroad.
We also did one htrough our cubs pack for kids in another country. Had no idea about the religious bumph though.

thanks all - have gone with Link Romania this year - the boxes go to needy families rather then just children. Having looked in to this it does make me so sad that there are so many people who have nothing and I wish more people did something generous at this time of year. Thanks all.