Christmas shoebox appeal - help I missed the deadline 6 December 2016 at 6:16PM in Special occasions & other celebrations 10 replies 2.5K views

curiosity101

Hello all.

I need some ideas. I have a number of shoeboxes for the christmas shoebox appeal run by the Samaritans Purse. Long story short, I went to drop off a number of shoeboxes on the 18th Nov (the final day) but the boxes had already been collected form the collection point. When I tried to contact the main depot I never got a reply.

Fast forward a few weeks and I now have a number of shoeboxes that I still need to do something with.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do with them? I figure there must be somewhere else I could donate the shoeboxes / the contents but I'm not sure where to start.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Gettingtherequickly

Any toys to local hospital, toiletries/treats to local homeless? I suppose it depends on what you have. I do know that anybody involved with soup runs would be thrilled to pass on suitable stuff for homeless.

lulubella89

I hadn't the same issue a few years ago, went to the local drop off and distribution centre the day before the deadline and there was no one there, and got no response from the phone number published online.
I'm sure there would be lots of charities who would be grateful to receive the contents of the shoeboxes, like homeless charities, hospices or even possibly contacting a food local food bank - they're may take other items to pass on to those in need or might be able to give you a number for somewhere that would.
I'm sure where ever you find they'll be someone very happy to receive ve the items.

vikki_louise

Post Pals does an elf scheme (shoebox of little gifts) for serioisly ill children or if it's more toiletry based I would offer to homeless charities

kingfisherblue

Women's refuge perhaps? Domestic abuse often leads to people leaving their homes with only the clothes that they stand up in, so a shoebox of gifts would be welcome to someone in that situation.

curiosity101

Thanks for the ideas.

I've sent a few emails out today to some local charities. I'm just waiting on replies now. I've tried a couple of childrens hospices, a womens refuge and a homeless organisation. Hopefully they can use the items. If not it'll be a very long 12 months waiting until next year's collection!

sillyvixen

Salvation army does gifts for local families in need.

Katiehound

Just looked and it seems that the 5th lorry has now left Worthing for E. Europe with the charity Link to Hope. (I'm assuming that's their last lorry gone.)

Our community larder takes toiletries for Women's refuge.

Otherwise store them for next year! Today I was given 3 carrier bags for my shoeboxes- they were collected on Nov 5th!! I am trying to empty my house, not refill it!! I packed the contents away in the back bedroom- I now have 3 large shopping bags full of leftovers!!

Owain_Moneysaver

curiosity101 wrote: »

I need some ideas. I have a number of shoeboxes for the christmas shoebox appeal run by the Samaritans Purse.

Almost any other charity would be glad to accept the shoeboxes or their contents, and you wouldn't be supporting the toxic organisation that runs Samaritans Purse.

The Chief executive officer of Samaritan's Purse is Franklin Graham, the American Evangelist and son of Evangelist Billy Graham. Franklin Graham earns $483,000 as president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse - in addition to the $633,722 he already earns as President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

OCC use toys as tools to entice children to evangelical rallies. ... Brendan Paddy, of Save the Children, when referring to OCC said it is dangerous when charities mix humanitarian work with the promotion of a particular religious or political agenda.

https://sites.google.com/site/occalert/

While every year we could add new examples of this charity's unsuitability (last year it was their President's latest homophobic tirade praise for Russia's anti-gay laws) the fact is that the concerns over their inappropriate proselytization and anti-Muslim bigotry have been around for years.

While it may make you feel good, filling shoeboxes with plastic trinkets to send overseas is an horrendously inefficient way to give to charity. Reputable charities usually seek to convert physical donations into money, because money can be used far more efficiently. Shoebox schemes are a bad idea and no major aid agency supports them. They are the charitable equivalent of untrained volunteers turning up in disaster areas, even if well intentioned they mostly just get in the way of professionals who would have far rather have the price of a plane ticket to spend on supplies.

http://www.secularism.org.uk/blog/2016/10/advice-for-parents-wanting-to-give-the-evangelical-operation-christmas-child-shoebox-scheme-a-wide-berth

Last year the Charities Commission slammed "Operation Christmas Child" for hiding their missionary aims from teachers and parents of school children asked to support the scheme, and from volunteers helping the project[6]. They found that Operation Christmas Child "appeal leaflets sent to parents and teachers say nothing about any missionary aim, or religious affiliation."

The United Nations Declaration of the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief[10], Proclaimed by the General Assembly resolution 36/55 of 25 November, 1981, Article 5.2. states:

2. Every child shall enjoy the right to have access to education in the matter of religion or belief in accordance with the wishes of his parents or, as the case may be, legal guardians, and shall not be compelled to receive teaching on religion or belief against the wishes of his parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle.

http://www.inminds.co.uk/occ.html

mcduff16

Another article from The Guardian on the Samaritan's Purse-

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2003/nov/10/religion.society

Katiehound

Hey, glad I supported Link to Hope- they've been going out to Romania for 25 years and give to the needy whatever their creed or race (and no literature allowed in the boxes!)

If you are interested view their facebook pages with photos taken in the last few days handing out boxes to people who have- nothing