Packing Your Shoe Boxes

How to pack your gift-filled Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes and bless a child overseas.

Select a shoe box

Use a regular-sized shoe box or shoe box-sized plastic box. If wrapping your shoe box, please wrap the lid separately.

 

Boy or Girl?

Determine whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl, and the child's age category: 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14.

 

Fill your shoe box

Fill your shoe box with a well-balanced variety of items from the following categories:

  • School Supplies - Items such as pencils, pens, pencil crayons, note pads, and picture books
  • Toys & Other Gifts - Items such as stuffed animals, small musical instruments, hair clips, toy jewelry, t-shirts, socks, and candy (loose, individually wrapped hard candy in a sealable bag)
  • Hygiene Items  - Please place soap in a sealable bag
  • Personal Note  - Include a personal note and/or a photo in your shoe box (not inside the donation envelope)

DO NOT INCLUDE: 

  • Toothpaste (due to customs regulations)
  • Food and any chewy, crumbly, or soft candy: Including gum (due to customs regulations)
  • Used items (due to customs regulations)
  • Playing cards (other card games such as UNO are allowed)
  • Liquids or items that could leak, melt, freeze, or break - Shampoo, creams, lip balm, bath gels, mirrors, or glass, etc. (these can damage other items in the shoe box).Items that can scare or harm a child - War-related toys, knives, and toy guns, etc.
  • Using a backpack instead of a shoe box is problematic because it creates unfair circumstances at distribution events.  Backpacks can also cause problems when cartons are being packed, and when shipments are going through Customs. 

Copy and print a boy or girl shoe box label here.

Make your Donation

Please donate a minimum of $7 for each shoe box you prepare to help cover project costs, including shipping. Simply make your donation online or place a cheque or cash donation in an envelope inside your shoe box. If you pack more than one shoe box, please include your total cash or cheque ($7 x the number of boxes you packed) in just one of the boxes. If you make an online donation, you do not need to include the donation receipt in the shoe box.

The 2013 National Collection Week is November 18-24.

 

 

Ways you can help

Pray

Pray that each child who receives an Operation Christmas Child shoe box will know how much God loves them.

Give

Help Samaritan’s Purse go beyond the shoe box and expand assistance to children, their families, and their communities Donate Here

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