Limerick people urged to support annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal

TEAM Hope us appealing to Limerick people to support this year's Christmas Shoebox Appeal which aims to deliver as many gift-filled shoeboxes as possible to children, for whom poverty is their every-day reality.

The organisers are calling on parents, children, teachers, families, and communities in Limerick to build-a-box at home or online to help them reach their goal of sending 200,000 shoeboxes to children in 13 countries across Africa and Eastern Europe.

The event is well-supported in Limerick every year with thousands of being donated.

Limerick people send Christmas joy to Romania following annual Shoebox appeal

Team Hope is an Irish, Christian and child-focused international development organisation. Founded in 2010, it works in Africa and Eastern Europe to help children affected by poverty or marginalisation.

So far, they have donated 2.1 million shoeboxes to children in poverty.

Local Limerick Team Hope co-ordinator, Michael O’Connell, said it’s wonderful for the children who receive these shoeboxes at Christmas to know that people across Ireland are thinking of them and have taken time out to send them joy and hope.

“We’ve always had such brilliant support from schools, families, and communities from all over Limerick, and we’re hoping to see the same fantastic response to the Shoebox Appeal again in 2022,” commented Michael O’Connell.

To build a shoebox, wrap it in Christmas paper and fill it with gifts for a boy or girl aged between 2 and 14, give online or attach a €4 donation and bring it to a local drop-off point before Tuesday, November 8.

You can also build-a-box online by donating via www.teamhope.ie. One of Team Hope’s local partners will build a box on your behalf on-the-ground and make sure it goes where it’s needed most.

When considering the best items to gift, think of the 4W’s:

Wear – Gloves, Hat, Scarf, Socks, Top, Underwear.

Wash – Comb, Soap, Sponge, Toothbrush & Toothpaste, Wash cloth.

Write – Colouring Pencils, Notepad, Writing accessories.

Wow – Think of items like musical instruments, puzzles, a ball, a skipping rope, a soft toy or a toy car.

Details of the drop-off points in Limerick will be announced in the coming weeks.