Fifty per cent of the Santa Shoebox children and teens have already had boxes pledged in their names… if you want to pledge a shoebox, you better hurry!
South Africa – The Santa Shoebox, is an excellent initiative that aims to give underprivileged kids the joy of a fantastic Christmas. The Santa Shoebox Project is one of South Africa’s best-loved children’s charities and has touched the lives of well over 858 673 underprivileged children throughout South Africa and Namibia.
The Project, which is now in its thirteenth year, is an inspiring community initiative, that collects uniquely personalised gifts for underprivileged children. Equally, the project is about parents teaching their children the Joy of Giving.
“When a donor pledges a Santa Shoebox, they promise a child the gift of self-worth and fulfilled potential. These are so much more than “just” a shoebox; each donor fills a decorated shoebox with 8 required items – a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and a facecloth, school supplies, a toy, sweets and an outfit of clothing.”
This year, the project has the chance to reach 1 million children. You can find out more about how to pledge a box, where your nearest drop-off point is and so much more here.
So far, people have already pledged to fill 50% of the boxes. This warms our heart and means many South African children will feel the joy of Christmas this year.
Below is all the information you need about packing a box.
If you team up with friends, family and colleagues, you will be able to donate even more boxes.
This is what to pack in your shoebox
Please remember that all items must be NEW and AGE-APPROPRIATE. PEP Stores is our one-stop-shop for all Santa Shoebox contents.
All of the following items are required:
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Bar of soap
- Washcloth
- An outfit of clothing
- Educational supplies
- Sweets
- A toy
Some additional things to consider:
- Please put all liquids, like cosmetics or blow bubbles, into a ziplock bag, so that the contents cannot leak out and spoil the shoebox.
- Please include extra batteries with battery-operated toys or choose a non-battery-operated alternative.
The following is a list of things we ask you NOT to include in your Santa Shoebox:
- Perishable or tinned food or sweets containing nuts. Please put chocolates in a ziplock bag.
- Medicine or vitamins of any kind.
- Violence-related items like toy guns or knives.
- Anything of a political, religious or racial nature.
Will you be pledging this year? Let us know in the comment section.