This really bothers me

[Buckalew11]

We do the Operation Shoebox each year. I always included a bar of Mickey soap from WDW.

Sometimes different lists have different needs. Some boxes may have school type supplies and other like the list on page 1.

Another donation that is easy to do is School Tools. These are very basic school supplies for children in need. This link is for Kenya.

School Tools

 

[crazee4mickey]

Another donation that is easy to do is School Tools. These are very basic school supplies for children in need. This link is for Kenya.
School Tools

We also do something similar to this called "Project Love" at our school as well(and yes this is a public school) and we collect only school supplies. The "Project Love" website says on their website:
"In some parts of the world, educational materials such as books, paper, pencils, rulers and erasers are scarce and expensive. Supplies we use every day in Canada can be difficult to obtain by people who live in remote villages or impoverished areas of Africa, for example."
This is the same thinking as with "Operation Christmas Child" and the organization does wonderful things and on their website it says:
"This year, Samaritan’s Purse staff and partners will hand-deliver more than 7 million shoe box gifts to hurting children in more than 90 countries on six continents. "
7 million shoeboxes!! It's absolutely amazing!
It also says:
"Operation Christmas Child began in the United States in 1993 with 28,000 shoe box gifts. Since then, the kids-helping-kids project has collected more than 39 million shoe box gifts and hand-delivered them to needy children in some 120 countries, including:

Young survivors of the horrific tsunami in Southeast Asia (2005)

School children attacked by terrorists in Beslan, Russia (2004)

Ugandan children devastated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic (2002)

War orphans in Kosovo (1999), Bosnia and Croatia (1995-1996), and Rwanda (1994)

Children in Honduras and Nicaragua left homeless by Hurricane Mitch (1998)

Did You Know?

Every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan has packed an Operation Christmas Child shoe box gift.

A year-round project of hope and encouragement, Operation Christmas Child delivered an early Christmas in the summer of 2005 to more than a quarter million children devastated by the tsunami in Southeast Asia.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, ranked three times by SmartMoney magazine as America’s most efficiently run charity (2000, 2001, 2002). Headed by Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse is currently working in some 100 countries providing relief and aid to victims of war, natural disaster, famine, disease, and poverty."

 

[disykat]

I love the shoeboxes! I also love giving to the food bank. To me, providing toys is a different charity opportunity and is well addressed by Toys for Tots.

 

[diznygirl]

I love the shoeboxes too. I think you are imagining a little boy in America at Christmas opening up a box of pencils from Aunt Sally and being extremely disappointed. A little boy in Kenya will be so thankful to have those pencils!!!

Don't overthink it - The list is full of suggestions, and then there is always room for some toys.

 

[Aidensmom]

Is the shoebox thing only done at Christmas? If so, that is the part that bothers me. If children don't have these neccessities, they need them all year long.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Is the shoebox thing only done at Christmas? If so, that is the part that bothers me. If children don't have these neccessities, they need them all year long.

Posted this in my above post about Operation Christmas Child
"A year-round project of hope and encouragement, Operation Christmas Child delivered an early Christmas in the summer of 2005 to more than a quarter million children devastated by the tsunami in Southeast Asia. "

 

[Buckalew11]

Is the shoebox thing only done at Christmas? If so, that is the part that bothers me. If children don't have these neccessities, they need them all year long.

It isn't but so what if it was? At least people are reaching out to others. Yes, I agree, we should reach out all year but, still, I am happy to see us all reach to others. I am not sure why people reaching out to others would bother people.

If stuff like this bothers you, the OP or MYSELF included, then instead of letting it bother us, let's make a difference.

Sorry, but I am tired of good things bothering people. There are so many ways to reach out to others and plenty of people to help in this this country and others.

 

[Michie]

Is the shoebox thing only done at Christmas? If so, that is the part that bothers me. If children don't have these neccessities, they need them all year long.

The one I am talking about, the man I spoke with, said they do provide these supplies year long. I guess what upset me, was the attitiude that needy children did not want toys.

And this program is for kids here in the states.

 

[Aidensmom]

It isn't but so what if it was? At least people are reaching out to others. Yes, I agree, we should reach out all year but, still, I am happy to see us all reach to others. I am not sure why people reaching out to others would bother people.

If stuff like this bothers you, the OP or MYSELF included, then instead of letting it bother us, let's make a difference.

Sorry, but I am tired of good things bothering people. There are so many ways to reach out to others and plenty of people to help in this this country and others.

I did not say it bothered me that people reached out to others.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

The kids would probably feel bad if all their teeth fell out due to lack of oral hygiene.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I guess my church is "special". I know for a fact that we provide needy families with the necessities throughout the year (groceries and personal hygiene products). During Christmas time we give toys to the children and "necessities" to the adults.

I'm sure every church is different...this is just how mine works.

 

[disykat]

I guess my church is "special". I know for a fact that we provide needy families with the necessities throughout the year (groceries and personal hygiene products). During Christmas time we give toys to the children and "necessities" to the adults.

I'm sure every church is different...this is just how mine works.

I don't think there's any reason to believe this church is also not doing a toy drive or something of that sort. Most churches have numerous programs like this going on at once. Right now my church is doing several ingathering projects - lightly used clothing for foreign relief, quilts and blankets for a homeless shelter, toiletries etc. for soldiers in Iraq, supplies for school kits, and the local foodbank. These are just the ones that are current. The annual angel tree project (which provides toys) will be set up in the next week or so.

 

[minkydog]

I just finished my shoebox--it's for a boy, 4-7yo. I included new socks, hat & mittens, watercolors, crayons and sturdy paper, playdoh, a truck that lights up, a rubber ball, a flashlight and a soft stuffed dog. I expect any little boy would love it.

 

[Buckalew11]

Many churches and groups have giving projects going all the time just like Tiggersmom said. Each month our WMU takes on a project. July or August, for instance, we always get school supply lists and do back to school backpacks for needy children in my area and there are many needs to be met.

Aidensmom, I realize you wouldn't have anything against people reaching out to others but I read your post to say that it bothered you that it might be a once a year thing when kids need help all year long. But my answer was so what if it is only once a year? Once a year a need would be met but there is always, always a need all year long and we should and do find ways to help all throughout the year. But at least the group that the OP was talking about was helping at some point in time. Sorry for the misunderstanding.