Santa Shoebox project looking for volunteers!
The concept came together when a woman in Cape Town went through her own children’s cupboards and realised how many items they don’t use they had.
Doing charity work is fun and easy, right? It doesn’t take up much time and there’s the added bonus of having done something good for your fellow man.
As the Santa Shoebox Project’s national sponsorship and regional manager for Gauteng, Free State, North West, Port Elizabeth and East London, Margie Kostelac is no stranger to charity work – possibly why she is not quick to agree that this type of work is easy. She tells us more about her involvement and about the success of this project, which has benefited close on a million children over the past 13 years.
The Santa Shoebox Project is an ongoing annual project that collects and distributes gifts for underprivileged children throughout South Africa and Namibia, quite literally in shoeboxes which are beautifully decorated.
The concept came together when a woman in Cape Town went through her own children’s cupboards and realised how many items of clothing, toys and other things they don’t use. She wanted to teach them about the joy of giving, so she packed shoeboxes with their unused items for underprivileged children. The project’s slogan today is “Share the joy of giving”.
The project has been very successful. In the past 13 years, the generosity of the public has reached 858 673 children.
“Each year we invite organisations which deal with or care for underprivileged children – orphanages, schools, children’s homes, and so forth – to apply to be beneficiaries of the project. We received 2 430 applications this year. All of these applications are vetted by our coordinators before they are approved. Pledging starts on September 1 when we publish the list of children’s names per area. Supporters can then go to our website, www.santashoebox.org.za, and select the recipient of their shoebox by name, age and gender.” You can select as many recipients as you like.
They also ensure that active steps are taken to prevent third parties from interfering with and violating the children’s rights.
So what goes into a shoebox? The website provides a full list of items for inclusion – it is a good guideline to what children need (as opposed to want).
“Of course, we recommend a special toy or gift in the box too, but this is an added bonus for the children, as the aim is to give them items they really need. Items include a toothbrush, toothpaste, facecloth, soap, age-appropriate stationery items, an outfit of clothing, an age-appropriate toy and sweets.”
They have coordinators across the country who look after their areas and are also very well supported by sponsors, volunteers and service organisations like Rotary Club and Round Table. They also use volunteers.
“Volunteers are the heart of the Santa Shoebox Project. At the beginning of each year, friends, families, colleagues and community members across South Africa and Namibia put their hands up and offer a few hours per month to share in the mantra of the Joy of Giving. Details of how to volunteer are available on their website. The theme this year is Let’s Make Magic and there is also the Virtual Santa Shoebox option. This caters mainly to supporters outside South Africa who are not able to physically make up a shoebox and get it to a drop-off point. They buy a shoebox at a cost of R450 and the organisation makes it up for them. The virtual shoeboxes are specifically distributed in rural areas where the donor capacity is low.
How to participate:
• Visit https://www.santashoebox.org.za
• Register as a supporter.
• Pick a convenient drop-off point that you can reach on the specified date.
• From September 1, when pledging opens, pledge a shoebox by selecting one or more recipients by name, age and gender.
• Print your QR-coded shoebox labels.
• Decorate or fill your shoebox according to the guidelines found on the website or Facebook page.
• Drop your shoebox at your selected drop-off point on the designated date.
For more information about the Santa Shoebox Project, contact the Krugersdorp coordinator, Michèle Engelmann on engelmann@absamail.co.za or phone 082 678 6151.
