sorry, wrong link.

Here is the right link www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Newsletter/october_09/

editrix,
Print out a copy of the October newsletter, and take it along to the school. The newsletter explains exactly what OCC is about. The school will have no option but drop OCC.

Good luck,
Amnon

I raised concerns with my ds's school last year about OCC but they basically told me to get lost. We don't do the shoeboxes but buy something each year through Oxfam Unwrapped and make a point of telling the class teacher what we've bought (school books and clean water this year). The problem is that OCC/SP have a massive PR machine which is very efficient and they saturated our local press with articles on the "good" they were doing last year. I, and many other people in our area, wrote to the paper to complain about OCC and the use they put people's generosity to - I wasn't sure if any of this had made a difference but I saw a notice in school today saying how many boxes had been collected this year and it's 75 fewer than last year, though numbers at the school haven't fallen. So maybe we're getting through to people and hopefully they've given their money to more ethical organisations this year.

Sam and Zoe and any other OCC supporters, I'm sure you've all got good hearts and only want to help but have you ever wondered why many many charities, including Christian Aid and Cafod, are signed up to the International Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies Code of Conduct and SP/OCC aren't? Perhaps it's because the third point of the code of conduct is "Aid will not be used to further a particular religious or political standpoint"? www.ifrc.org/publicat/conduct/code.asp

From anmon's link:

'Padang has a long tradition of hostility to the Gospel. In fact, many of the residents are proud that there is no church in the area. Our partners, however, are committed to bringing the light of Christ to this dark place.'

WTF? That statement is so, so wrong on so many levels.

'Please continue to pray for China and North Korea, that God will give Samaritan’s Purse even greater opportunities to build bridges of trust and understanding as we work in the Name of Jesus. Many millions of people in these two countries have grown up in a religious vacuum and need the Savior.'

I am speechless.

Just read own newsletter to find out what this "charity" is really about.

If you look at the SP accounts on the Charity Commission website they made over £22 million last year, £17 million went on the distribution of OCC stuff, a good chunk went on basic running costs of the charity (staff, etc)(can't remember the actual figure, sorry) so the actual amount they spend on aid is a pittance.

They also only gave £22,000 to the Tsunami appeal which is, imo, appalling considering the amount they earn.

Considering they rely on volunteers to sort and distribute boxes, plus everything in the box is donated either by the giver or volunteers what do they manage to spend £17 million on?

If they spent £17 million on genuine aid then I would guess that the children they are distributing their boxes to would have significantly better lives without the need for a box of plastic tat.

I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE PACKING OF SHOEBOXES PERSONALLY FOR 5 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN A VOLUNTEER FOR 2 YEARS. iFROM LATE OCTOBER TO MID NOVEMBER I AM INVOLVED WITH COLLECTING BOXES FROM SCHOOLS,CHECKING BOXES FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ALLOWED AND BASICALLY GIVING UP MY TIME TO MAKE SURE CHILDREN LESS FORTUNATE THAN OURSELVES HAVE AT LEAST ONE CHRISTMAS BOX THIS YEAR. i VOLUNTEER MY TIME IN A LOCAL CHURCH ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A CHURCH-GOER AND WE HAVE OUR OWN SUPPLIES OF GOODS THAT WE PAY FOR OUT OF OUR OWN MONEY TO HELP FILL A SHOEBOX THAT MAY NOT BE FULL ENOUGH, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILD WHO GETS THAT BOX HAS AS MUCH STUFF AS THEIR FRIENDS. NOW IF YOU THINK THAT ME DOING THIS IS SOMEHOW CONNING THE UK THEN I MUST BE OUT OF MY MIND TO GIVE UP MY SPARE TIME AND SPEND MY OWN MONEY.
THE DONATION OF £2.50 IS PURELY UP TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO HELP FURTHER AND IS NOT A PROBLEM AS THERE ARE QUITE A FEW BOXES THAT COME THROUGH WITHOUT IT THE MAIN ISSUE IS GIVING THE BOXES TO THE KIDS, THIS YEAR MY SUPERVISOR IS GOING TO UKRAINE BELARUS AND SERBIA TO HELP GIVE OUT THE BOXES TO THE KIDS AND HAS PAID FOR HER TRIP HERSELF ALTHOUGH FUNDRAISING WOULD NORMALLY BE THE WAY TO PAY THE TRAVEL EXPENSES.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY TO OTHER MUMS OIT THERE THAT I WOULD NEVER BE INVOLVED IN ANY SCAM OF ANY NATURE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO ORPHANED KIDS OR NEEDY KIDS, I HAVE 2 BOYS MYSELF AND THIS HELPS TO MAKE OUR CHRISTMAS FILLING OUR SHOEBOX.
WHY NOT FIND OUT WHERE YOUR LOCAL DROP OFF POINT IS AND POP IN TO SEE FOR YOURSELF JUST HOW CHRISTMASSY THE ATMOSPHERE IS HAVE ALOOK ROUND SEE HOW TS DONE WE ALL ENJOY OUR TIME TOGETHER AND HAVE A COFFEE WITH US XX

Honestly complain about this stuff to the school. The more people who object and point out calmly the dodginess of Samaritan's Purse, the sooner they will get their arses kicked right out of schools.

Mind you, making a charity appeal part of DC's homework is utterly Not On, whatever the charity. By all means encourage DC to donate stuff to the less fortunate, especially if the school can find a decent, worthwhile charity to work with, but it shouldn't be compulsory by any means.

Homework? That's not really on - especially as you're to buy the stuff new.

My DS1 got given homework last week, to fill a shoebox and take it to school. I thought it was shocking, and he isn't doing it.

I thought giving the task as homework was disgraceful.