Christmas Shoebox Appeals

denton6

jamtart6 wrote: »

Oh my goodness how have I missed this deadline - I've been at it all year! I wanted to donate to Link Romania - but the boxes had to be in today??? I'll have to give them to operation Christmas Child now which is fair enought i suppose! A heads up for others tho! COLLECTION TIME LOOMING!

Hi you may not have missed this it depends on the area you live in.I have a list of all the collectors for areas if you email me i can give you the nearest then if you ring them they will beable to tell you when they need them by.I know Lancaster area still has another week.

rescuedogs

I always do mine for Samaritans Purse, is there some problem with using that organisation please?

Debbie_S

No it's just some people object to the Christian literature they put in with the boxes. I don't mind it myself because that's what Christmas is but I would like to see an example of what they put in them. They believe in being good samaritans and helping the needy.

heavenly_chic

dobs wrote: »

I started getting things to put in a shoebox this year but couldn't find a box anywhere or anyone else to give me one with the measurements they wanted! I don't buy shoes much except for the kids and they are tiny boxes so no good,i usually get shoes at m&s and they don't give you boxes. Mum said they wouldn't send it if it wasn't the right size box that they ask you for in the leaflet, feel bad about it but will have to try and get one for next year. Its such a good idea, its a shame there isnt a shoe company that will send out empty boxes to the churches etc which you can pick up with the leaflet!

I'm a drop off point and someone this year has given me a HUGE shoe box, so I've just transfered it to a smaller box. If it gets past your drop off point, then it will be split up at the warehouse and your stuff put into boxes that are less full.

ashli_2

Debbie_S wrote: »

No it's just some people object to the Christian literature they put in with the boxes. I don't mind it myself because that's what Christmas is but I would like to see an example of what they put in them. They believe in being good samaritans and helping the needy.

Far from it, in fact. They use the shoeboxes kindly donated by well meaning people as convenient vehicles for their bigotted propaganda. The problem with Samaritans Purse is that their ethos is one of agressive fundamentalism and their teachings encourage religious intolerance. See here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1081349,00.html


They are a particularly nasty bunch and should be avoided. Far better to donate your shoeboxes to an organisation who will really distribute them as an act of charity and not towards their own alternative agenda.

rosieben

re Operation Christmas Child (Samaritan's Purse Shoebox) - there's an eye-opening article here and criticism on loads of other websites so I will be steering clear of them; I'm looking for alternatives hoping to find something locally

ashli beat me to it!

eta - I think I'll investigate children's homes/women's shelters in my local area and donate direct to them; I love the idea of the shoeboxe but its so hard to be sure that the boxes go where they're most needed

moonpenny

dobs, I'm sure if you went into a Shoe Shop and explained what you wanted the boxes for, they would be only too glad to give you some.

farmville

Ok now I am confused as I have just been to my local drop off point for the Samaritan's Purse Shoebox to get info etc - which they could not give me - and I have read the above article.

What should I do?

I really want to do this, to show my children how there are so many disadvantaged children in the world but I want to do it right IFYKWIM?

Help...................

pollyskettle

I rec'd a leaflet from my children's school a couple of weeks ago regarding the Samaritans Purse as our school are collecting shoeboxs for them this year and something struck me as off (I really can't remember as I no longer have the leaflet) so I looked them up online and noticed they are registered as a company as well as a charity. I don't know if this makes any difference but was something I picked up on.

I talked to the children about it all and we decided to donate the money we would have spent on items to the Red Cross and Medecins Sans Frontieres.

Saint_Chris

Well last night i made up 5 shoe boxes, and was real pleased when i'd finished.
I took them into work today, to give to the lady, who takes them to the deaf club where she goes, they are then blessed there in a service and then taken away....................where to i didn't know, until she gave me a leaflet by 'Samaritan's Purse'
I read this leaflet today at work, and was a bit dissapointed when i read this bit.

We always give shoeboxes to children based on need, regardless of their background and RELIGIOUS beliefs.
Where appropriate, our local partners will also freely distribute a booklet of bible stores, including the story of christmas and the birth of jesul - to children receiving shoeboxes.

To be honest i don't really know how i feel now,