Offaly Christmas Shoebox Appeal goes online

FOR the first time ever, the hugely popular Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal has moved online.

Last year 5,072 boxes were sent from Offaly alone thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of schools, businesses and individuals across the county, according to one of the county organisers.

The appeal is switching to an online-only format this year because of the coronavirus and Team Hope is asking for donations through its website www.teamhope.ie

“Each year we'd normally collect all the boxes from the schools and organisations and sort them and send them up to Dublin,” explained Ballycumber based Team Hope volunteer Stella Egan.

“Two years ago I went out to Romania with the boxes and delivered them to the various villages but we can't do that this year because of the risk of transmission.”

Instead, people can log onto the website and make a €20 donation and select the items they wish to be placed in the box.

Stella added: “I went around to schools last year and spoke to them about my trip to Romania and there is an awareness out there of the work we do.”

“We pay to go out to Romania and the other countries ourselves so that no funds are taken from the organisation.”

Stella has already spoken to a number of schools about this year's project and they are very keen to stay involved, including Killina Secondary School which has organised a Halloween themed non uniform day to fundraise for the appeal.

Schools, families, friends, communities and businesses across the county are encouraged to work together, in whatever way they can safely, to donate as many shoeboxes as possible up until December 23 and celebrate their efforts during the first ever Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal Week, which will take place from November 9-15.

Jean Gill, County Offaly Christmas Shoebox Appeal coordinator said: “The people of Co 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.”

Irish women’s hockey international Elena Tice reprises her role as a Team Hope Christmas Shoebox Appeal ambassador in 2020. With her Olympic journey postponed, Elena has been working hard with her team to keep their training on track and have been rallying around to support each other.

Elena says: “Building a team around you is so important and I would be lost without the support of mine. The ethos of #TeamUpForTeamHope is key because we all need to lean on each other at some point, but some people are less fortunate and need a little more help. Everyone has the ability to work together to make a difference, no effort is too small.”

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 and toothpaste, washcloth; Write - colouring pencils, notepad, writing accessories; 'Wow' items – 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 and Rwanda.

For more information about the 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 donors and volunteers get started.