As the festive season approaches and anticipation fills the hearts of children eagerly awaiting gifts beneath the tree, it’s important to recognise that not all children have the same privilege.
It’s for this reason that, through donations from generous South Africans, the Santa Shoebox Project has been providing shoeboxes packed full of treats and essentials to children who go without during the festive season.
Their mission: to ensure no beneficiary child is left without a reason to smile.
Since public pledges opened a month ago, an impressive 57,000 shoeboxes have been pledged. “This progress reflects the generous spirit of South Africans and their eagerness to positively impact the lives of others,” comments Margie Kostelac, the organisation’s Gauteng regional manager.
Expressing her profound gratitude for the overwhelming support thus far, Kostelac says that the response across the nation has been heartwarming and shows the power of collective compassion. “However, our work is not done yet. We still need 23,000 more pledges to achieve our goal of delivering shoeboxes to 80,000 children in need this year – ensuring that no beneficiary child has to go without.”
The 2023 target builds on the Santa Shoebox Project’s achievement of reaching 1,152,587 children over the past 17 years.
For those interested in pledging, each shoebox should contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, a washcloth, school supplies, a toy, sweets, and an outfit of clothing—all new, unused, and age-appropriate. After all, every child deserves to experience the joy of receiving a meaningful gift selected specially for them.
To find a drop-off point and relevant dates, visit their website, and for more information and to contribute to this worthy cause, click here.
