Shoe Box Appeal 2012

Thank you to everyone who filled a shoe box and brought a smile the Christmas.

We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to our Shoe Box Appeal during 2012.

  116,007 filled shoeboxes were received, which is tremendous.

These were sent to the following countries;

Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and the Ukraine in Eastern Europe

 all in time for distribution for Christmas. 

Boxes were also sent to Pakistan and will be distributed during January and February.

This December I was able to visit Albania for the first time in two years to see the work being done there and also to help distribute some boxes.   It was humbling to see the conditions in which some people live in a this country.

As each year passes it never fails to amaze me how much joy a simple shoebox can bring to children, teenagers and adults alike. Everyday items that seem so small to us; a new hat and scarf, a toothbrush with some toothpaste, a small toy, some soap; bring great joy to thousands of people who live in desperate poverty.

A visit that stands out was to a group in a village and seeing a young girl so excited to receive a lovely doll.  Her face lit up with a beaming smile as she cuddled and showed everyone the treasure she had found.

The work and ongoing reminder of the desperate poverty thousands of people struggle with each day and I want to thank you for helping us to give to people in need this past Christmas.