Christmas Charity Shoe boxes

juliebunny

Hello, I just wondered if anyone was planning to do these this year? I know there have been a lot of stories of people refusing to do them because the groups who organise them put in religious leaflets - but if I was a child I would just ignore that.

Plus I do believe in Christian values of helping others and have enjoyed doing these in the past, imagining a child like I once was, excitedly exploring their shoebox...:o

I've given them via Samaritan Purse before but would be open to other suggestions of non religious groups doing them, I just don't know any.

SugarSpun

There is a secular option:

http://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

Look at the section called The Backpack Project

queenlizard45uk

I started doing shoe boxes afew years ago. I love filling them and wondering about the child thats going to recieve it.

Im not religious, but dont care if they add religious leaflets to the boxes... most of the children wont be able to read them, and if they can - i suppose it gives them something to think about/believe in.

just my opinion

zippybungle

Hi,

I have done loads of shoe boxes over the years for Samaritans Purse, mainly through School and work. This year we are doing one through 'Link Romania' from the kids School.

I think the Link Romania ones are easier to do, as over the last couple of years I think the Samaritans Purse have got more and more fussy about what you can and can't include. The idea with the Link Romania box is that it is for all the family, not just the Kids.

To be honest I'm not fussed about whether they include info about religion or not. The Link Romania leaflet specifically says that they do not include any literature in the shoe boxes.

Zippy x

NiceGuyEddie_2

It's not just about one leaflet in the box, it's the continued pressure before and after Christmas for the 'Bible studies program' etc. I'm afraid I just don't agree with aid being given with a clause of this nature attached, nor do these schemes really meet the needs of the communities.

I think the Backpack Project looks great

zippybungle

here is the website for the Link Romania shoebox appeal

http://www.linkromania.co.uk/shoebox-appeal

dory22

juliebunny wrote: »

Hello, I just wondered if anyone was planning to do these this year? I know there have been a lot of stories of people refusing to do them because the groups who organise them put in religious leaflets - but if I was a child I would just ignore that.

Plus I do believe in Christian values of helping others and have enjoyed doing these in the past, imagining a child like I once was, excitedly exploring their shoebox...:o

I've given them via Samaritan Purse before but would be open to other suggestions of non religious groups doing them, I just don't know any.

im not sure about the leaflets for the children i had religion forced upon me as a child, but as a christian myself at the same time christmas is about the birth of jesus and good will to all men and people dont seem to remember that, its the same at easter people forget whats its about.
but yes i will be doing these boxes, my nephews do them for their school too.

i normally send to the children in romania its an awful state that country is in the amount of children over there as young as 6 that are addicted to sniffing glue and who are living on the streets it breaks my heart, they need something good to happen to them.

Nanamia

Does anybody have a link to an appeal that helps the homeless in the uk? It's not in anyway meant to be derogatory to the above mentioned charities I just felt tonight was so cold and frosty and thought of the poor souls living rough and wondered if there was anything an individual could offer, gloves hat ?

SugarSpun

The Big Issue does that Nanamia, or you could look up local soup kitchens?

As part of our advent calendar my DD and I do a day of random acts of kindness, which involves making little bags (toothbrush/paste, heating pads for hands, gloves, couple of euros, a sandwich and a bottle of water) and giving them to local homeless people. For me that's what Christmas is about, more than strong-arming kids into a Bible studies program in exchange for the only gift they're getting.

browneyedbazzi

SugarSpun wrote: »

There is a secular option:

http://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

Look at the section called The Backpack Project

Thank you for that! I've often wanted to do something like the shoeboxes but I am very uncomfortable with the way religious organisations operate and would not want to support them.

SugarSpun

I've already made our shoeboxes for this year, but looking at the local link for dropping them off, the only option near to me is an organisation that includes the leaflets in the shoebox but also insists that the children who receive a shoebox attend a mandatory Bible study class.

I can understand that if you genuinely believe that the Bible tells the truth and that Christianity is the only way to avoid an eternity in pain you would want to convert as many people as possible. I do get that and while I personally object to it I wouldn't want them to stop altogether and deprive the kids of the good that goes along with it, but it isn't for me and so I need to find some backpacks.