Finished the Samaritan's Purse shoe box today, now I find out it's dodgy

[kateecass]

Rollocks!!! Got the last pieces today DH even emptied a shoebox full of CDs and covered empty box with paper. Now I've just seen on here it's dodgy. As someone who was dragged to church for 18 months of my life I don't agree with it.

Thing is what do I do with it now? It has the usual things in toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, sponge, pencils, sharpener, colouring book, spinning top, couple of cars, sweets.

DS aged 3.5 helped so he might want to know why it's not going to school but might not notice.

What's dodgy about it?

Try here. Or contact a local women's refuge or Dr Barnados who apparently do similar things.
And yes, Samaritan's Purse is very dodgy.

Prosecco: it;'s an agressively evangelical Christian organisation whose founder has made very negative comments about both Islam and Hinduism, and though they may claim that boxes shouldn't have 'religious' literature in them, they do in fact top up the boxes with shitty tracts and use them as an evangelising tool.

Dodgy.....

www.dryfireuk.co.uk/derbysacre/images/shoeboxstuff.jpg

secularderby.org/purse.htm

I've just given the school some bits for shoeboxes with my DD. She's not long started in reception, so didn't want to make a fuss. But I didn't feel comfortable about doing it, and may speak with PTA before next years.
I think it was a kind thing for DD to be involved in though, from her point of view.

Why not get the school to change to a different box scheme.

I showed my daughter's school a copy of the samaritan purse newsletter, and they dropped SP like a hot potato. They have sent a letter home, and are looking for another charity to take the boxes.

You could also show them the article in yesterday's Guardian.

Well, just dropped DS into school and there are a lot of boxes going in. So it's too late to do anything anyway.

It is a C of E school and he is in the nursery. We do not go to church but will be applying for one of a couple of places for local kids, we live less than 100 yards from the school. He isn't guaranteed to get in and I don't want to be labelled as a trouble-maker.
I reckon I could put the article and newsletter through the door anonymously. D'you think I should address it to the Head (new to this school thing!).

As for the box I'll hide it and then decide to do with it. I'll ask some friends if their kids schools are doing boxes for any other charity. Otherwise I can put the stuff in DS's stocking and give money to a "proper" charity.

Dd1 is doing this, this year some one linked to it another thread about this.

Her school aren't doing anything that I know of, they did SP last year. I doubt they would support it if they know who was behind it. They are very proud of being a non religious mixed faith school and teach the children about all cultures and religions.

They put as much effort and emphasis on Divali as they did xmas last year.

Oh that backpack scheme looks good

katecass theres alto to be said for changing from within; you'd be able to make more of a fuss once you had a palce so maybe no boat rocking? WOuld just be my take though, and then go full throttle in receoption year

Though not worth it in our school- SP pretty much sumsup the new Head

Yes, backpack scheme does look good. I will suss it out properly later. Also I was a bit grr that everything is supposed to be new for Samaritan's purse.

I haven't sussed out the school properly with regards to how preachy it is. There are kids there who are sikhs and other week in nursery there was a book about Hinduism up. I think the school must be in the dark about SP.

I still think I could post some literature through the postbox perhaps even include info about the backpack scheme and maybe others. Could just imagine some parents not letting my DS play with their DC cos not only do we not go to church but also cos I'd made a fuss about the preachy box scheme.

i've just emailed the dc's school with the links to articles about samaritan's purse. did the same thing last year, so was quite miffed surprised to find out they are still supporting it.

i reckon the issue is most schools see the word 'samaritan's' and assume they know who is behind it without checking up on it first.

Lucykate, it may be worth following up the email with a phone call. Many schools don't "do" email. And if they knew how to google, they wouldn't have got mixed up in this outfit in the first place...

DD2s tutor is getting them to bring in stuff for shoeboxes - DD is bringing in a letter from me explaining why she is not participating .

I started a thread about this a couple of weeks ago. I printed off some info about why I didn't feel it appropriate for my family to support it but haven't been brave enough to take it in to school. Ds came home with a letter last week 'reminding' everyone about the closing date for boxes to be brought into school and a photocopy of the original leaflet incase we needed a spare to give to friends/family. There must have been some big speech about it in school that day because ds was desperate to do a box so I explained that we could do one for a different charity. He mentioned a Blue Peter appeal today so will have a look into that tomorrow with him.

I raised it with my school. It did not take any courage on my part. In fact the headmistress thanked me for bring the true nature of OCC to their attention.