Moose Jaw made a big impact on children in need through the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child program.
Moose Javians packed a total of 1,046 shoeboxes filled with toys, hygiene products, school supplies and other items that the recipients may not be able to afford. Provincially, over 19,000 shoeboxes were filled in Saskatchewan.
“When they receive these gifts from people they're probably never going to meet in a country they may have never even heard of before, that makes it plain to them, the joy and the hope that this program represents,” said Frank King from Samaritan’s Purse Canada.
Recently some of the boxes were delivered to children in places such as Ukraine and Central America and West Africa. King was part of the mission to drop off the shoeboxes in Senegal and Costa Rica. He says the shoeboxes can change the lives of some of these children.
“It really makes it plain the value of Operation Christmas Child to give these children a great concept that they are not forgotten. Oftentimes these shoebox gifts are the first gifts that these children will have ever received,” he said.
Although the 2022 shoebox campaign has wrapped up for another year, residents can still contribute to the campaign year-round. You can visit packabox.ca where you can choose shoebox items to purchase, upload personal notes and photos or give a monetary donation.