Saskatchewanians packed more than 19,000 Christmas-related shoeboxes last year to support underprivileged children worldwide, while Moose Javians contributed over 1,000 shoeboxes as part of the charitable endeavour.
Residents across the province packed 19,004 shoeboxes in 2022 as part of Samaritan’s Purse’s annual Operation Christmas Child program. Of that number, residents in The Friendly City donated 1,046 boxes. In comparison, Moose Javians packed 2,674 shoeboxes in 2021.
Overall, Canadians packed 415,072 shoeboxes last year — 1,000 more than in 2021 — with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other items despite the challenges posed by inflation, supply shortages and the war in Ukraine.
Samaritan’s Purse has already begun distributing shoeboxes around the world. In the next few weeks, children in Ukraine, the Philippines, Central America and West Africa will receive the packages Canadians put together.
The number of boxes that Canucks donated last year — including tens of thousands of boxes stuffed online at PackaBox.ca — were part of a worldwide total of nearly 10.6 million collected in the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, South Korea, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand.
“We are so grateful for the generosity of Canadians,” said Kendra Shields, director of Operation Christmas Child. “These gift-filled shoeboxes are a tangible expression of God’s love and will provide joy and hope to children, many of whom have never received a gift before.”
Many children who receive shoebox gifts will also enrol in Operation Christmas Child’s 12‑lesson discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. This voluntary program teaches children about the Christian faith. Since 2009, more than 26 million children have participated in the program. Every child who graduates is given a New Testament in his or her language.
Year-round option
Thousands of Canadians can take advantage of Operation Christmas Child’s internet option to pack shoeboxes year-round at PackaBox.ca. Canadians can choose shoebox gift items while also uploading personal notes and photos.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered more than 209 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 170 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease, and famine. This year, Samaritan’s Purse collected its milestone 200 millionth shoebox, which was hand-delivered to a young girl in Ukraine.
Operation Christmas Child is a program of Samaritan’s Purse Canada, a Christian relief and development organization that takes its name from Jesus Christ’s biblical story of the Good Samaritan.
Like that Good Samaritan, who found a beaten man and helped restore him, we aid victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine, and persecution. Besides Operation Christmas Child, our initiatives include providing safe water, vocational skills, and agricultural supplies and training to families in the developing world.
Learn more at SamaritansPurse.ca.
