House of Opportunity is asking the public to help some of Southeast Europe’s poorest people through its Christmas Box Appeal this year.
Christmas boxes are put together by people in the UK. Each box is wrapped in festive paper and filled with small gifts such as soap, stationery, gloves, hats, toys and sweets. The boxes are distributed to orphanages, poor Roma communities, women’s refuges, refugee centres, poor rural schools and isolated elderly or disabled people in Bulgaria. For many, this will be the only gift that they receive this Christmas. Last year nearly 8,000 Christmas Shoeboxes were donated.
House of Opportunity Operations Manager Rich Parsons says, “The Christmas box appeal continues to capture the imagination of people here in the UK, who generously donate presents and their time to help on the project.” Rich adds, “The presents spread a great deal of joy and send a really encouraging message to people who live in extreme poverty. Many of the people we visit live with the risk of exploitation by people-traffickers and other criminals. For them to receive a Christmas box shows that there are people who want to bless them, not use them. That’s why we’re asking everyone who gives a shoebox to tell a friend about our appeal. If everyone helps out in this way we can brighten many more Christmases!”
Will you join with us to help spread some joy this Christmas?