Local Churches get behind 'Operation Christmas Child'

How to take part in filling a shoe box

Take part (and make a huge difference to a family) by doing three simple things:

1. Collect or source a box – boxes can be collected from local churches, The Informer office and the Monkey House Theatre until Labour weekend. Alternatively get your own shoe box or reusable container - about the size of an A4 piece of paper.
2. Fill the box – with items that will be fun, practical and can be loved by a child. Also place $12.50 in the box to help cover the cost of shipping. See ideas of what items to include in your shoebox below.
3. Return the box – return your filled box back to a collection point by Friday October 20th.

All done! The combined Churches will arrange to ship all of the boxes received to be distributed to children in need. 

We packed 160 boxes in 2022 and would love to be able make 200 boxes this year. If you don't have a chance to pick up a box, you can use any box, about A4 size or a plastic container or make your own out of cardboard and drop it back at one of the churches or the Monkey House.

Damon Christensen - Whitianga Combined Churches

What could I put in my shoe-box?

Firstly, decide who you’d like to pack a box for. 

• girl or boy
• age category - 2-4 years, 5-9 years or 10-14 years.

Then fill with gifts. It is suggested that there is a medium to large ‘wow’ item (a soft toy or ball with pump) and then other items such as:

• Personal care items ( toothbrush, washcloth, soap, combs, cup, water bottle, wet wipes etc.)
• Clothing and accessories (t-shirt, hat, socks, shoes, tote bag, sunglasses, hair accessories etc)
• School supplies and stationery
• Crafts or activities (card games, crayons, puzzles, colouring books etc)
• Toys (marbles, glow sticks, small frisbee, doll, lego etc)
• Feel free to add a personal note and a photo of you or your family.

Other tips:

• Make sure you label with gender and age on outside of box
• Decorate the box, but make sure it can be opened, so custom declarations can be written / checked. 

Packing a box for Samaritan’s purse is open to everyone. It’s a great way to teach children about giving and volunteering. 

If you are not sure about what can and can’t go in your shoebox, the Samaritan’s purse website, have a great list of FAQ’s (https://occ.samaritanspurse.org.au/home/operation-christmas-child/faqs/)  about what can and can’t go in your shoebox.

Pack a shoebox online

If you are busy, but would like to take part, then you could opt to pack your shoe box online! It just takes a few clicks without leaving the comfort of home. There are six pre packed boxes to choose from. An online donation of $30 will cover the cost of your choice of box, packing, shipping and other project costs. You even have the option to add a personal note to your box.

To pack an online box, visit the Samaritan’s Purse site. 

What is Operation Christmas Child?

In 2021 over 11 million shoe boxes were packed around the world and sent to children in100 countries. The programme is run by Samariatan’s Purse, a non-profit Christian organisation that provides emergency relief and development assistance to people around the world.

Filling shoe boxes with essential supplies and small gifts for children to be delivered in time for Christmas is a hands-on way that anyone can help. 

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Samaritan’s Purse

The gifts are given without condition and without regard to the race, creed, gender, religion, or ethnicity of the beneficiaries. They are shipped to children in countries that are affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine and disease.