A shoebox without the shoes, but generous love
With pledging approaching 80 per cent, it seems all of South Africa is shopping, decorating and filling Santa Shoeboxes.
The reality is, though, it is a great challenge to get those last few boxes done!
The Santa Shoebox Project coordinator, Margie Kostelac, therefore, appeals to you, the greater Santa Shoebox family, to please help them reach their target and make 100 000 little hearts happy this Christmas.
This project facilitates the giving of gifts to underprivileged children to connect people and bring joy.
The Santa Shoebox Project is an inspiring community initiative that collects uniquely personalised gifts for underprivileged children.
“Equally, the project is about parents teaching their own children the joy of giving.
“A gift to be shared with a child from a distinctly vulnerable social background – who may never before have received a gift,” says Kostelac.
The project is unique in that the donor knows the name, age and gender of the child for whom the gift is intended, and can, therefore, fill the shoebox with goodies alike.
The Santa Shoebox Project originated in Cape Town and has grown in leaps and bounds, with the number of Santa Shoeboxes growing from a humble 180 boxes in 2006 to a record 118 274 in 2013.
The boxes are distributed to more than 1 000 recipient facilities, through more than 60 satellites around South Africa and Namibia.
The success of the Project can largely be attributed to its personal nature – donors give gifts to children whose names, ages and genders are known.
Boksburg community members interested wanting to be a part of The Santa Shoebox Project can collect boxes at Stor-age Boksburg.
The boxes are free to the public.
For more information on this project, visit www.shoebox.co.za. – @IschkeBoksburg
