Team Hope are once again running their annual Christmas Shoebox Gift appeal.
Campus Life Services here at the University of Limerick are giving Team Hope a hand by collecting them at their multiple offices around the university.
ABOUT TEAM HOPE:
Team Hope is an independent, Irish, Christian relief and development charity.
Team Hope are best known for their annual Christmas Shoebox appeal, they also help families all year round in a variety of community development programmes.
ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS SHOE BOX APPEAL:
Every Christmas, Team Hope ask the people of Ireland to fill a shoebox with a range of simple gifts.
You then drop off your filed shoebox to your local drop-off point (any Campus Life Services off in UL), and team hope will do the rest.
A team of volunteers check each shoebox making sure they comply with both customs and safety standards, they will then seal the boxes and send them on where Team Hope’s international partners will then take over.
Your shoebox gift is delivered straight into a child’s hands – in hospitals, schools, shelters, churches, orphanages, community centres, mountain villages and family homes.
For many, this is the only present they will receive this festive season.
These shoeboxes are sent to twelve countries, from Belarus in Eastern Europe and to the most far away parts of Sub-Saharan Africa to disadvantaged children.
A total of 264,636 Christmas shoebox gifts were distributed to children in need in 2017.
You can log onto www.teamhope.ie to see where your county/region’s boxes were sent last year.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
Team Hope outline five simple steps to follow when creating your shoe box, these are:
- GET A SHOE BOX
Grab an old shoe box and wrap the lid and box separately with wrapping paper.
- GET A LABEL
Print a label or use a boy/girl sticker from the Christmas Shoebox Appeal leaflets and choose what gender you want to give your Christmas gift too and what age.
- FILL THE BOX
Get as creative as you like and fill the box as much as you can with gifts that are suitable for the gender and age you have chosen (see below for ideas!).
- CLOSE THE BOX
Secure your box with an elastic band (do not seal shut as still needs to be inspected!).
Include €4 in your leaflet envelope either on top of the gifts or taped to the inside of the lid.
- DROP IT OFF
Drop off your shoebox at your local drop off point, which can be found online.
IDEAS OF WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR SHOEBOX:
The easiest way to ensure your shoebox includes a wide range of suitable gifts is to follow the ‘Four W’s’.
The Four W’s are:
- WRITE (long-lasting stationery that the children can use for school/to pass time)
- WASH (basic cleaning utensils/products such as toothbrushes/soap)
- WEAR (an item of clothing or two that will help keep the children warm during the winter months)
- WOW (a special toy/item that will really surprise the child and be their Christmas miracle!)
Here are some ideas for the Four W’s:
- WRITE:
Colouring pencils, markers, notebooks/notepads, erasers/sharpeners, colouring books, crayons, copy books for school, diaries…
- WASH:
Bar of soap (wrapped), facecloth, toothpaste (suitable for age chosen), toothbrush, hairbrush/comb.
- WEAR:
Gloves/mittens, socks, hats, scarves, sandals/flip-flops, underwear (knickers/boxers & vests).
- WOW: This is the fun part!
A photo of you/you and your family to show them where the gift came from, a cuddly toy/teddy, sweets that are in date until March 2019, a ball, a skipping rope, stickers, books, small musical instruments, toy car, a baby doll…
What NOT to include in your shoebox:
- Liquids (shampoo, soap, drinks etc.)
- Sharp Objects
- Breakables
- Medicines
- Large Clothing Items
- Scary Things (anything war related, masks etc.)
- Chocolate
To find out more visit: www.teamhope.ie/christmas-shoebox-appeal/
Molly Cantwell 
Daragh De Klein