The Santa Shoebox Project, officially a “tween” at 12 years old, is a children’s charity that has touched the lives of 594 underprivileged children throughout South Africa and Namibia.
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 eight required items – a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap and a facecloth, school supplies, a toy, sweets and an outfit of clothing.
This year, for the first time in the project’s history, pledging will open a full month earlier than before – on Wednesday August 1.
Donors are able to select children who live in their area, thus supporting their own larger community.
Chief executive officer and founder of the project, Irené Pieters, says: “This project has a life of its own.
“Every year brings change. We’ve heard our supporters – sponsors, beneficiaries and volunteers alike – and in response have given them the gift of time, by taking some of the rush out of the end of the year.”
One year into our march to million, time is of the essence and there’s no time like the present to become involved.
To receive campaign updates, and keep informed of milestones and deadlines, like the Santa shoebox project’s Facebook page/Santa Shoebox and visit www.santashoebox.org.za to update your supporter profile and to choose the child or children for whom you wish to pledge a shoebox.
This year the project aims to receive
115 000 shoeboxes.
Four-thousand virtual Santa shoeboxes will also be on offer, enabling busy donors or those who live far from drop-off points to select the contents of a personalised shoebox, which will be packed by Santa shoebox volunteers.
A generic option will also be available, which the project is able to allocate to children living in remote rural areas, who would otherwise not receive a decorated box.
Santa shoeboxes can be dropped off at central distribution points across the country on designated dates in September and October.
Visit www.santashoebox.org.za/find-my-local-dropoff/ for a list of drop-off sites and for more information.
The following items are required to complete a Santa Shoebox:
Standard sized shoebox or plastic container, colourfully decorated, with the lid wrapped separately, QR coded label, which the donor will receive upon pledging online, toothbrush, toothpaste, facecloth, soap, toy, outfit of clothing,school supplies, sweets. All items must be new, unused and age-appropriate.
As a level one contributor to B-BBEE, the Santa Shoebox Project earns 100 points on the generic scorecard, and with Section 18A status, is able to provide a tax-deductible receipt in recognition of donations. The project is an initiative of the JOG Trust (IT2671/2009). The trust is registered as a public benefit organisation (PBO-930031301), and a non-profit organisation (NPO 102-098).
