Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes - alternatives?

[luckyblackcat]

There have been several threads on mumsnet re this appeal.

There were some fairly negative assertions made, links to their own website etc which generally gave the impression (to me anyway) that only children who were of Christian religion would benefit from the donations.

Also a poster came on and said her DC had been in a private day nursery, for children of working professionals (so reasonably well off) and the boxes were distributed there - which is obviously not the point of them at all (again imho).

Last year my DC school did a box appeal, but not SP. This year they are doing SP.

I want to inform the school of this, but would like to be able to say, "But this charity are multi-faith and will give to needy DC regardless" It is not a faith school and there are many different religions represented in the cohort.

So please, wise mumsnetters, help me out...

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

I have been around in an eastern european country when the boxes have been handed out. They were given to children known to a church but not regular attenders. There was no booklet given out but they were invited to services which they could attend or not attend. The boxes were so well received and it is a chance to show that we care for those who have less. I don't think it matters which charity you go through, as long as you are confident the things get to the intended recipients. Parents of working children in a nursery in some countries will still be earning an awful, awful lot less than us so they are not necessarily undeserving.