Would you like to donate a gift and spread some holiday cheer to those that really need some? 1st ANNUAL “SURPRISE IN A SHOEBOX”
What is “Surprise in a Shoebox”?
“Surprise in a Shoebox” is a charity initiative created by Svetla Parker and Anne Griffin. Our mission is to put a smile on a needy or a sick child’s face over the holiday season. We are asking members of the community to join by packi
ng a shoebox (or any other box of you choosing) with small gifts for a sick or underprivileged child. The more participants we have, the more joy we can spread. Why Participate? Giving gifts is just as fun as receiving gifts and creates positive vibes on both sides. Around 33% of Bulgarian children live in poverty. For many, this may be the first Christmas gifts they ever received or the first present they received in a long time. With poverty comes social exclusion which can be even more difficult during the holidays. While we enjoy our trees, exchange gifts, and go to holiday parties; many are living in poorly heated “homes” with no tv, no internet and certainly no Christmas cheer. What Should You Put In Your “Shoebox”? The “Christmas Shoebox” is your gift so choose whatever you want and have fun. You need to decide the age and gender of the child you are packing a box for. The only requirement is that all gifts are new. We are constantly sending these children used clothing and toys so for Christmas we want new items to really do something special for them. At the end, please check out our list of categories with gift ideas. We recommend you try to choose at least one item per category. Don’t forget to add a personal touch with a Christmas card! Thinking “Out Of The Box”? All gifts are welcome. If you would like to gift something that doesn’t fit in a shoebox, larger gifts will also be enjoyed. Please see our “Out Of The Box” gift ideas at the end. Who Will Receive Your Christmas Shoebox? For privacy reasons, we are not able to give you the name of the child that will receive your “Surprises in a Shoebox”. We will select from children the Facebook Group Благотворителност за семейства в крайна нужда where Svetla Parker is an administrator. We will also distribute shoeboxes to children undergoing cancer treatment at “Tsaritsa Yoanna Hospital“ (ИСУЛ). Who Are We? Svetla Parker and Anne Griffin are Santa’s Helpers and the driving force behind this initiative. Svetla and Anne volunteer with several charities to help people in need. Svetla is one of the administrators of the Facebook Group Благотворителност „За Семейства В Крайна Нужда“. The pair are also the initiators of “Благодаря Ви, че Ви има” (“Hot Lunches For Bulgarian Hospitals”). Who can join our cause? One of the greatest things about this initiative is that children can join in the giving. It can be a fun family or school project. We believe that you are never too young to learn to help the less fortunate. “Surprise in a Shoebox” is a great way to teach children charitable giving. Decorating the shoebox and discussing what will be put in it makes for an engaging classroom or family activity. The children will learn about the needs of the less fortunate in the process of choosing gifts as they will need to consider things like avoiding battery operated toys because the receiving child might not be able to afford new batteries. Engaging children to help children makes the giving adds to the festivity. We would love for the business community to join in the giving as well. We already have a few on board. McDonald’s will be providing lunches to the children in Tsaritsa Yoanna Hospital (ИСУЛ) when we deliver the “Surprise in a Shoebox”. Publishing house “Prosveta” donated 50 children’s reading books and Doppel Herz donated 50 packages of vitamins to add to the “Shoeboxes”. Donations of toys, clothing, sweets, hygiene products, etc. will be much appreciated. Participation / Shoebox Delivery Deadline:
Gifts must be delivered to designated address in Sofia by Sat. Why Do We Have a Participation Deadline? We don’t want to let anybody down. It is important for us to know how many “Surprises in a Shoebox” we will receive to know how many children we can commit to and to have time to organize the logistics of delivering the Christmas Shoeboxes. Gift Categories:
Personal Care: toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, deodorant, bar soap, perfume, nail polish, lip balm, holiday themed facemasks. disinfectant
School Supplies: pens, pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener, pencil case, water bottle
Clothing: underwear, socks, t-shirts, hats, gloves, scarves
Accessories: jewelry, baseball caps, headbands, sunglasses, wrist watch, wallet, friendship bracelet
Fun Stuff: crayons, action figures, dolls, small musical instruments, finger puppets, puzzles, play-doh, memory games, playing cards, stickers, yo-yos, frisbees
“Out Of The Box”: clothing, shoes/boots, backpack, notebooks, coloring books, board games, Lego sets, craft kits, model kits, bedding, blankets, jump ropes, footballs
Don’t forget to make a Christmas card!
