Sign up for the Santa Shoebox project and put a smile on a child’s face

A study by the World Giving Index indicates that individuals are motivated by helping the less fortunate.

Santa Shoebox CEO Deb Zelezniak said that under this year’s theme of ‘Share the love’, they aim to empower recipients.

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‘The rationale behind this stemmed from the realisation that underprivileged children are usually not seen as powerful,’ she said.

‘All too often, these children are recipients of hand-me-downs and second-hand items that no one else wants. This is exactly the opposite of our ethos.

‘An underprivileged child has the same potential, the same value and the same full, layered life that a child of privilege does. They simply aren’t given the same opportunities.

‘The Share the love theme is about empowering that child.’

Each donor can duplicate an item in the gift box, affording the recipient an opportunity to gift to someone else.

‘For starters, it increases self-esteem. This is reflected in research from Ohio State University which established that when people give, they feel like they are making a difference to others,’ she added.

Pledges open to the public on 1 September, with team pledges of more than 20 shoeboxes taking place on 1 August each year.

Virtual Santa Shoeboxes are available all year round.

Educational and care facilities can apply to become recipients in April.

To share the love, or for more information, visit https://santashoebox.org.za

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