One Shoebox Can Change a Life

“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” -John F. Kennedy

Ever wonder how you can make a difference? Especially this time of year? Well, if you have an old shoebox and a couple bucks you could change the life of a child.

If you have never heard about the non-profit organization Samaritan’s Purse let me introduce you. They have been providing aid to people in physical need since 1970 in more than 100 countries around the world. One of their biggest outreaches is something they call “Operation Christmas Child.” Since 1990 they have collected shoe boxes each November filled with toys, school supplies, personal items and other small gifts to send to children overseas. As of April 2015, over 124 million boxes have been delivered to children in need.

I remember filling shoe boxes as a child, knowing that we were giving such simple, but meaningful items to someone less fortunate. As an adult, my husband and I actually had the opportunity to go to one of the distribution centers to help organize and pack up all the boxes. It was such a great experience, I hope we can make it a tradition once our kids get older. For now, our family is packing up our own shoeboxes, one for a little boy and one for a little girl.

So what can YOU do? It’s not too late to pack a shoebox for this Christmas season. Collection week is November 13th-20th. You can find all the details on ideas for your shoebox on their website Samaritanspurse. Kids of all ages can get involved (even our two and four year old got excited about picking out items for other children that really needed it).

So what are you waiting for? Grab an old shoebox, decide if you want to send it to a little boy or little girl, pick an age group; 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14, then head to Target or even the Dollar Store to fill it with a few items. Don’t have time to head to the store, that’s ok too, you can build a box virtually online by going here. You never know how you can change the life of a child who may never have received a Christmas gift if it weren’t for you! Remember that one shoebox can change a life.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” -Mother Teresa