Strathmore steps up for Operation Christmas Child
By Janet Kanters Times Editor
Photo Courtesy of Frank King, Samaritan’s Purse Canada
During the 2019 Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign that recently ended, Canadians packed 490,471 shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and many other items.
A total of 419 shoe boxes from Strathmore were donated to the charity, to add to the 105,864 shoeboxes from Alberta, an amount second only to Ontario.
Distribution of the shoeboxes in the developing world has already begun. During the next few weeks, children in Central America and western Africa will be receiving shoeboxes.
The 490,471 boxes donated in 2019 – including 12,098 packed online at PackaBox.ca – were part of a worldwide total of 10,569,405 collected in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Australia and New Zealand.
“We are extremely thankful to Canadians, many of whom are unemployed or facing significant economic uncertainty, for their generosity in continuing to support this vital program year after year,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada.
“Each shoebox that someone fills is an opportunity to show hurting children that they are loved by God and by us, and the gifts Canadians have provided will once again bless children—many of whom have never before received a present.”
It’s never too late to give – the website PackaBox.ca allows anyone to pack shoeboxes year-round by choosing gift items on the site, with the option of uploading personal notes and photos.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered more than 177 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease and famine.