As we move through life, we learn that not everyone in the world is fortunate enough to have access to the day-to-day necessities many of us take for granted.
One outlet that does its best to provide support to the under privileged is Christian relief and development organization, Samaritan’s Purse Canada (SPC).
In 2017, SPC ran its Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign, an initiative designed to provide toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and more, to children in impoverished or war-torn countries.
During last year’s campaign, Canadians stepped up big-time by filling 615,120 shoeboxes. To accomplish this, interested parties packed shoeboxes, then dropped them off in November at hundreds of collection centres across Canada.
Globally, 11,012,840 shoeboxes were collected. Canadians can pack shoeboxes for children in need year-round by visiting PackaBox.ca.
“We are extremely thankful to Canadians for their generosity in continuing to support this vital program year after year,” said Randy Crosson, Director of Operation Christmas Child Canada. “Each shoebox that someone fills is an opportunity to show hurting children that they are loved by God and by us, and the gifts Canadians have provided will once again bless children – many of whom have never before received a present.”
SPC has noted that the distribution of these shoeboxes has begun. In the coming weeks, boxes will be delivered to those in Haiti, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Nicaragua, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Gambia, and Ukraine.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 150 million gift-filled shoeboxes to 130+ countries.
-Adam Grant
