Team Hope has issued a big thank you to the people of Kilkenny, where some 3,760 Christmas shoeboxes were collected for this year’s shoebox appeal.
The appeal was led by Irish Charity Team Hope which is now in the process of distributing the brightly Christmas-paper-wrapped shoeboxes made up of toys, sweets and personal items to street children, orphans, children in hospital, poor families, victims of wa,r and other needy children across Africa and Eastern Europe.
This small dedicated team, together with some 50 local teams of volunteers nationwide, has been organising the Christmas shoe box appeal for the past 12 years.
“Team Hope has received almost the same amount of gift filled Christmas shoeboxes this year despite the difficult economic situations we are currently experiencing here,” said Carol Hennessy, manager of the Team Hope Shoebox Appeal.
“We would especially like to thank the people of County Kilkenny for their huge support and generosity in helping out with this campaign thus helping kids who are in far worse situations around the world. It was lovely and really appreciated to see both home-made and shop bought items being donated as well as the much needed funds required to distribute the boxes.
“Kilkenny county area coordinators and volunteers were overwhelmed with the response received throughout the county, without which we would not be able to run this campaign. These shoeboxes make a huge difference to the lives of children who come from families that have to live on less than €1 a day and who otherwise would not receive any gift this Christmas,” she said.
The first Team Hope distribution trip has just returned from distributing more than 22,000 Team Hope Christmas shoebox gifts to western Romania. When the Christmas shoebox-packed truck from Dublin drove into the village of Saravale, the children lined the village square and there was a buzz of excitement – The Mayor of Saravale even came out to lend a hand distributing the boxes to the delighted children who could not wait to get their Christmas presents. The Mayor told Team Hope of the difficult living conditions; very few jobs, those who have a job have to travel long distances every day, and earn an average salary of €150 a month. For those who cannot get a job, there is no social welfare assistance.
Other truck loads which have already left Ireland include a truck containing more than 7,000 boxes destined for DR Congo – Team Hope’s first delivery to the Congo. Distribution trips will continue across Eastern Europe and Africa over the coming weeks until every brightly coloured shoebox has been put into the hands of a needy child.
Team Hope is a relief and development charity that works in relief and development projects in more than 20 countries, mainly in Africa, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Although you cannot donate a Christmas Shoebox again until next year Team Hope accepts monetary donations all year round.
For further information on how you can help, call Team Hope at 01 2940222 or visit www.teamhope.ie
