Our 2025 Christmas Box Appeal has begun and once again our supporters will be able to bless some of the poorest children and families in Southeast Europe this December.
The Christmas boxes made by our supporters are very gratefully received by their recipients, and often have much more impact than you might think. But do the presents have any positive long-term impact, a lasting benefit that goes beyond the simplicity and generosity of giving a present to a stranger?
Teodora Koleva, director of our partners, FSCI Bulgaria, outlined a few other positives of the project. “For us, the reasons for running such an appeal are clear: the presents bring a huge amount of joy to the children and families that receive them, but they also help us to do much more. Our main social impact projects work with state care leavers and very poor Roma communities. Christmas boxes allow us to reach both these groups, serving as a calling card for our team and giving us access to institutions and communities which are closed to most people. These introductions are really important, and have led us to work with many young people in a number of community projects”.
The impact of the appeal in the UK shouldn’t be underestimated, believes House of Opportunity Operations Manager Rich Parsons. “The act of putting one of these boxes together may not seem that significant, but the Christmas Box Appeal captures the imagination of children and adults alike and speaks to us powerfully about families, belonging and community”.
Rich adds, “We hope lots of people will want to get involved again this year. The donated 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”.
Find out how you, your business, church, community group or school could get involved in this year’s Christmas Box Appeal below.