Samaritan's Purse asking children to create Christmas boxes - anyone heard of them?

[edam]

I'm a little uncomfortable about this charity using the school to promote their work and seek donations from small children because I'm vaguely aware that they have been accused of being unethical.

They are an evangelical organisation, which isn't very clear from the literature they give out, and they've been accused of withholding aid from Muslims and Hindus who refuse to convert to Christianity (including aid from governments, not just their own funds). I'm not sure how accurate this is.

Soooo, my question is, do any MNers know about this charity and what do you think of it?

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

sorry, wrong link.

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

Hi everyone! For me doing a shoebox with my kids has been hugely rewarding as it gave me an opportunity to explain how well off they are compared to kids in poor countries. Sure I could have just sent money but my kids wouldn't have had so much fun choosing presents for their 'child'! I heard some schools were cancelling shoeboxes this year. That's sad isn't it, I guess loads of kids who have nothing won't miss the shoeboxes but people have lost the opportunity to show them we care

katie4u, do you work for them,? you have possted the above four times on four threads.

Its 8 times today. Just joined MN today.

And why did all these threads from years ago reappear in September?

Weird

I've read so much stuff about Operation Christmas Child that just isn't true. The charity is Christian, and if that motivates them to do nice things for kids overseas who have nothing, then I cannot for the life of me see why there is such an uproar.
I've checked this out with the local Operation Christmas Child Warehouse as they're doing appeals round here and there is NOTHING of a religious nature allowed in the boxes. The charity needs permission to give out the boxes and if they were so insensitive they'd put that permission in jeopardy.
the boxes are given out to bring happiness to children who have nothing. That's fine by me.
Christian Aid is run by Christians too, and CaFod, and many other organisations that have Christmas appeals. Don't know why people have it in for Operation Christmas Child.
If you're unsure and sceptical and wondering whether or not to support it, why don't you go and see what they do and ask some questions rather than just taking what you read here as Gospel? (Ha ha).

, I am hugely proud that I managed to get DD's to stop supporting OCC.

You may give to Operation Christmas Child or you may not - the choice is yours, but it is sad that these misguided and totally inaccurate comments can only lead to fewer children getting boxes.

Samaritan's Purse is very open about being a Christian Organisation - always have since its beginning (in the UK) in 1990. ANYONE can visit their warehouses in person (rather than sit at a computer investigating false and unsupported claims on websites)- and find that SP do not add literature to the boxes.

Ruddynorah's Link was written by just one person telling us her one experience of shoeboxes out of millions of boxes. The reality is that the overseas partners cannot means test everyone who gets a box and the majority of boxes bring great joy and even change lives.

:( My son was asked to make up a Christmas box for another charity (Mustardseed) last year, and we did. However, I have grave reservations about the whole thing. (1) It actually cost us quite a bit to fill the box with things of good quality. (2) It then costs money to send the box, and we're asked to enclose a cheque. (3) What happens to the recipient child when the toothpaste, soap, etc., runs out, as it will? Is there any follow-up? (4) What about other deserving kids who don't get a box? Other members of the family? (5) The gifts, transport, etc., all 'leave' money in the rich First World, whereas a charity buying 'gifts', supplies, and paying for distribution locally will LEAVE money where it's most needed.

In the end I came to feel that the idea sounds nice, but is divisive and based on a sentimental "Awww, Christmas goodies!" view of the needs of the really poor. I worked out that my son and I could choose a charity that can give year-round community support, make a donation for the same amount we would have spent on the Christmas box, and do a power more good year-round. It may not seem as personal, or as much fun, but the point of charity is to help others in a meaningful way. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Help him make a fishing net and you feed him and his family for life.

Giving the equivalent of help with making that fishing net is what we're going to do this year. I use the occasion for our family to think about what it means to be poor, and what it means to give help.

Hi smallpenguin and Rutheneurys,
Thanks for bringing up the Operation Christmas Child. OCC masquerade as an innocuous charity. But it's real aims are far more sinister. It's leader Franklin Graham explained the real aims of Operation Christmas Child on his web site, in an article titled Every Shoe Box - A Gospel Opportunity. It can be found on their website at www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Newsletter/october_09/. If you or your school are thinking of taking part in OCC, please read this article, so you know exactly what sort of enterprise you are supporting.