Shoe boxes for children: This is how we help in the Ilm district at Christmas!

Shoe boxes for children: This is how we help in the Ilm district at Christmas!

This week the donations for the well-known “Christmas in a shoebox” campaign in the Ilm district are on the agenda. The aim of the initiative is to bring joy to children in poverty, who often do not have money available for even small gifts. There is often a lack of basic everyday items such as hygiene products and school materials, which are urgently needed in many families. Ursula Halbedel and Heidi Pohlemann presented the first packed boxes, meaning preparations are in full swing to put a smile on the faces of many children in need. This information is there South Thuringia further.

“Christmas in a Shoebox” is not just a regional project, but part of the global campaign “Operation Christmas Child”. Every year, under the auspices of the German association Samaritan’s Purse – The Good Samaritans, more than 500,000 gifts are distributed to children in over 150 countries. Many of these donations come from German-speaking countries, where around half a million people take part in the campaign every year. Help is particularly necessary in Eastern European countries such as Georgia, Poland, Latvia and Ukraine, as many families there live in precarious conditions. This is done by News.de reported.

How does the campaign work?

Those interested can either pack their own shoe boxes (30 x 20 x 10 cm) or order a ready-made “box to go” online. Each box should be labeled according to the child's age and gender and filled with new gifts such as clothing, toys, stuffed animals, candy and school supplies. A personal greeting and optionally a photo make the donation even more personal.

The boxes will be delivered byNovember 18th, whereby a donation of 10 euros is recommended at official drop-off points. These are available on the campaign website and have an official seal. If you prefer it more convenient, you can also have “online shoe boxes” created for 30 euros, which are then packed and sent by volunteers.

Addresses and further information

For anyone who would like to send their box by post, there are different addresses for Germany, Austria and South Tyrol:

• Deutschland: Samaritan’s Purse e.V., Haynauer Str. 72 A, 12249 Berlin
• Österreich: Weihnachten im Schuhkarton, Barockstr. 4, 4616 Weißkirchen
• Südtirol: CGS Christengemeinde Schlanders, Dr. H. Vögelestraße 7E, 39028 Schlanders (Italien)

The “Christmas in a Shoebox” campaign is a simple way to help and bring a smile to the faces of children who urgently need it. Let us work together to ensure that children in need also enjoy the joy of receiving gifts and spending Christmas together.