Offaly people urged to support online Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal

The annual Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal has moved for the first time to an online-only appeal for 2020 and people across Offaly  are being  asked to  #TeamUpForTeamHope  by donating gift-filled shoeboxes for children affected by poverty for €20 at  www.teamhope.ie. 

Schools, families, friends, communities and businesses across the county are encourag

ed to work together, in whatever way they can safely, to donate as many shoeboxes as possible up until 23rd  December and celebrate their efforts during the first ever  Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal Week, which will take place from 9th - 15th November.

Jean Gill, Co. Offaly Christmas Shoebox Appeal Coordinator  said  “The people of  Offaly  have always been great supporters of the Shoebox Appeal and this year, more than ever, every shoebox counts.

“The  Covid-19  crisis has presented huge challenges for people throughout the country, so you can only imagine  the immeasurable impact that Covid-19 has had in countries where basic sanitation and access to education is far from universal. This is a pivotal moment for us all to reflect, not about  how  we fill a shoebox, but  why  we do shoeboxes and the importance of basic education, self-care, warmth and joy for a child affected by poverty.”

The new website at  www.teamhope.ie  allows people to build-a-box online, personalise it by uploading a picture or image, and select gift items they would like to include, for example:

Wear -    Gloves, Hat, Scarf, Socks, Top, Underwear

Wash –  Comb, Soap, Sponge, Toothbrush  & Toothpaste, Washcloth

Write -  Colouring Pencils, Notepad, Writing accessories

Wow –Fun Trinkets, Musical Toys, Puzzles, Soft Toy, ball, fun sunglasses

The online shoebox donations will allow Team Hope’s network of local partners in Africa and Eastern Europe to purchase items for shoeboxes, which will then be delivered directly into the hands of children. Often these shoeboxes are the only gift that a child will receive at Christmas.

During the  Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal Week,  everyone  is encouraged to celebrate the Christmas Shoebox Appeal by building/packing shoeboxes online, sharing pictures on social media, coordinating fundraisers to purchase shoeboxes, and learning about the Appeal and the importance of giving.

Team Hope’s aim in 2020 is to deliver as many shoeboxes as possible to children in Romania, Transnistria (Moldova), Ukraine, Kosova, Albania, Belarus, Burundi, Democratic Republic Congo, Lesotho, Eswatini (Swaziland), Malawi, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Rwanda.

For more information about the Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal, please visit  www.teamhope.ie. Team Hope also provides a range of  free lesson plans and online resources for schools and businesses to help you get started.

#TeamUpForTeamHope #ChristmasShoeboxAppeal #EveryShoeboxCounts

Follow Team Hope on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/team.hope.ireland  and Twitter  @TeamHopeIreland  and Instagram  @TeamHopeIreland