| The Joy of Giving |
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August 2009
SANTA SHOEBOX PROJECT INVITES YOU TO PRACTICE THE ‘JOY OF GIVING’
The Kidz2Kidz Santa Shoebox Project is an inspiring community initiative, which collects uniquely personalized Christmas gifts for socially disadvantaged youth. Equally, the project is about parents teaching their own children the joy of giving, to be shared with a child from a distinctly vulnerable social background, who may never before have received a Christmas gift.
Spearheaded by Kidz2Kidz founder Dee Boehner in 2006 and managed by national project co-ordinator Irenè Pieters since 2007, the project strives to spread a message of kindness, caring, giving and sharing. Over 3 short years, it has grown beyond expectation, from the first 180 Santa Shoeboxes in 2006, to 9000 Santa Shoeboxes reaching 60 children’s homes, crèches and educare centres in 2008. This year the organisers expect the project to reach far beyond 10 000 Santa Shoeboxes.
Says Ms Pieters: ‘While many people have a sincere desire to contribute to their community, they often don’t know where to start. The Kidz2Kidz Santa Shoebox Project is a registered Public Benefit Organization (PBO), which provides a simple, practical way to make a real difference to the life of a child. Gifts are personalized according to the individual name and age of each child, with Kidz2kidz Santa Shoebox Project providing guidelines for the contents of each individual gift box, to ensure that every child receives an age and gender appropriate gift. Typically this will comprise of some practical necessities, as well as an educational toy, an item of clothing and some sweets. Gifts are dropped off at our various satellite centres countrywide, and here our network of volunteers ensures that each gift reaches the chosen recipient, bringing Christmas joy into his or her life‘.
VOLUNTEER NETWORK This year the Santa Shoebox Project is in operation right across South Africa and negotiations for ventures into neighbouring African countries are well under way for 2010. Testimony to the special quality of this project, the ‘distribution network’ is manned entirely by a social and community network of families, friends, schools and church groups, who voluntarily donate their time, effort and expertise. With the head office based in Cape Town, satellite projects have been formed in other cities and small country towns, all run by volunteers who act as co-ordinators for their individual areas.
These individuals ensure that each Santa Shoebox reaches its destination in time for the handover of the gifts, which is scheduled for early November. The handover ceremonies, called ‘Santa Shoebox Celebrations’ are either held as individual functions at each facility, or this year for the first time, will take the form of one major event to be held during the first week in November, that will bring some of the children together to receive their Santa Shoeboxes at a central venue in Cape Town.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED To participate in this heart warming project and teach your own children and those around you the joy of giving, simply register online, where an easy step-by-step procedure will guide you through the process.
Donors need to:
Ends
Issued by FIVESTAR PR Janie van der Spuy Tel + 27 (21) 462 1677 Fax + 27 (0) 86 548 1192 Mobile: + 27 (0) 83 324 5558 Skype: fivestarprjanie
On behalf of Kidz2Kidz Santa Shoebox Project Irene Pieters Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it www.santashoebox.co.za |