Operation Christmas Child

[tulagirl]

My sister and I used to do this every year with my mom, I cant remember why we stopped? but I just found a place that does it again! I won't be able to this year because money is tight, but I'll be looking into it for next year, I can start hoarding items now.

This is the best way to do it that way you can put high quality stuff in a box for an incredible deal which makes it possible to do another box.  After Christmas sales offer wonderful warm clothing for children at unbelievable savings.  Toys are even on sale.  Use those coupons too and the buy one get one free ads.  My friend likes to do a box with me every year.  This year she just gave me money and I did it for her.  She has a lot going on and couldn't get to it.  I collect stuff all year long in boxes and then I start assembling boxes around the same time that school supplies hit the shelves. I always end up short on either markers or paper. I have a stack for next year already started.
My typical box has:
Shirt, pants, socks
3 toys and plush which might include a game or electrical device
coloring book
water bottle
clothing bag
tooth brush and paste
hair brush and hair ties for girls
soap and washcloth
notebook paper
pencils
erasers
pencil sharpener
pens and highlighters for older kids
stick glue
markers
crayons
paints
colored pencils
folder
spiral notebook
small notebook
3 bags of candy
Stickers
oh and often I get those beads and beading stuff for the girls
Sometimes I add winter hats if I find a good deal on them

Its tricky getting it all in the plastic container but I have found small things stuffed in the water bottles you get from the dollar store helps a lot.  Like hair ties, and bouncing balls...little things can stuff in there and leave room for those much needed school supplies.  Walmart has the best school supply deals. But it is really hard to face the traffic on the isles.  The dollar store is good for some things, but I don't like their school supplies much.  They don't hold up and the crayons don't have rich color.  Some people add coats and shoes, but Can't seem to fit those types of things in to my boxes.  Wish I could.

Your box sounds fabulous Nessa...bandaids are a good idea.

[nessa16]

My sister and I used to do this every year with my mom, I cant remember why we stopped? but I just found a place that does it again! I won't be able to this year because money is tight, but I'll be looking into it for next year, I can start hoarding items now.

This is the best way to do it that way you can put high quality stuff in a box for an incredible deal which makes it possible to do another box.  After Christmas sales offer wonderful warm clothing for children at unbelievable savings.  Toys are even on sale.  Use those coupons too and the buy one get one free ads.  My friend likes to do a box with me every year.  This year she just gave me money and I did it for her.  She has a lot going on and couldn't get to it.  I collect stuff all year long in boxes and then I start assembling boxes around the same time that school supplies hit the shelves. I always end up short on either markers or paper. I have a stack for next year already started.
My typical box has:
Shirt, pants, socks
3 toys and plush which might include a game or electrical device
coloring book
water bottle
clothing bag
tooth brush and paste
hair brush and hair ties for girls
soap and washcloth
notebook paper
pencils
erasers
pencil sharpener
pens and highlighters for older kids
stick glue
markers
crayons
paints
colored pencils
folder
spiral notebook
small notebook
3 bags of candy
Stickers
oh and often I get those beads and beading stuff for the girls
Sometimes I add winter hats if I find a good deal on them

Its tricky getting it all in the plastic container but I have found small things stuffed in the water bottles you get from the dollar store helps a lot.  Like hair ties, and bouncing balls...little things can stuff in there and leave room for those much needed school supplies.  Walmart has the best school supply deals. But it is really hard to face the traffic on the isles.  The dollar store is good for some things, but I don't like their school supplies much.  They don't hold up and the crayons don't have rich color.  Some people add coats and shoes, but Can't seem to fit those types of things in to my boxes.  Wish I could.

Your box sounds fabulous Nessa...bandaids are a good idea.

Thanks!

How on Earth do you get it all to fit?

[Breyer600]

This was the second year we did them.  Since we knew we were going to be packing some this year, we were able to pick up things throughout the year (last year we only had a few weeks to plan).  We did three boxes with coloring pages, colored pencils, regular pencils with extra erasers (animal shapes ), pencil sharpeners, glue sticks, notebooks, solar calculators, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, socks, dolls, stuffed animals, light-up balls, puzzles, mini purses, hair bows, bracelets, and pop beads.  We were packing them with a group of other ladies and let them use some of our extra items such as kaleidoscopes and jump ropes and we've already got several items set aside for next year.

What other programs do you guys donate through?  I have a lot of clothes that are too small and I never know what the best place is to take them.  I live near a Savers, a Goodwill, Salvation Army and Value Village. 

You could find a local homeless shelter. I always donate to shelters now because I'd rather my old stuff be used instead of sold for someone else's profit. The one I usually go to (women & children shelter) will accept pretty much anything.

We donate clothing to the women's shelter here.  They also take sheets plus toys and books for children.  The place that collects the items for them also collects for the homeless shelter so men's clothing goes there too.  My mom and I belong to the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) so most everything else we donate ends up going through one of their programs to help soldiers and veterans or into the yard sale we help run for them.

[Tracks]

Hubby and I like to do this but sadly we were not organised enough this year (And last year I think) to get it done in time for the drop off.

I like the idea but again as others have said I'm a bit unsure about the religious attachment to it, seems a bit like a gift with strings attached..... 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Nope, I do not support any faith-based international support that is dependent on UN relief support to reach the children.... I support our homeless children and their family members in our city locally. 

The candy and toothpaste is in response to possible gelatin ingredients - most of the places in the world where these boxes are going, there are dietary restrictions.  Not to mention that candy can be used as an exploitation tool.   And it melts and gets very disgusting sitting on a dock or at a port where the UN relief supplies can't get through and sit there for months on end.... 

[tulagirl]

I got it to fit quite well when I purchased the plastic containers at Walmart that are about the size of two regular shoe boxes side to side.  Or a boot box where your notebook paper will lie flat.  Otherwise, there is no way to get it to fit.  Oh and I was going to say that I like the containers that have the little plastic flap on the edge that flip up and lock the lid on.

[Aflame]

used to do it in school

[slyons]

Nothing for kids but a local radio station here had a drive for seniors who are in care homes with no family, and ALL the wishes had been picked off the tree within a couple hours (which is amazing), so I was too late to pick one but they are getting more so I'm just waiting too pounce!!

[HelloGoodbye]

In high school, my church youth group made a ton of boxes for this and it was so fun!  We all brought things, plus had a box out for other people from the church to put stuff in and we wound up making about 30 shoe boxes, which was pretty wild.  We had big piles of toys and clothes and school supplies all over the room and spent the whole night (literally! we all wound up sleeping on the floor after we finished) sorting everything into boxes.  It was amazing, and now it's a great memory since a lot of my friends in that group moved away, and even among those of us who still live in town, we're all at different colleges now.  Imagining how excited the kids opening their boxes would be was so fun.

My church does a different charity now, which is more of the "adopt a kid" type thing and we do a few families, and that's nice too! Honestly, I kind of liked doing Operation Christmas Child more, though, because we could surprise so many kids all at once! 

[nessa16]

I forgot, my unit at work also does adopt-a-family where we each buy certain things off a member of the family's Christmas list.

[tulagirl]

Oh I love Adopt a Family.  I have participated in that also and would love to do it again.  There are many wonderful ways to give at Christmas.  I find value in them all.  There is nothing better than a smile on a child's face that would possibly not have one if it were not for the love of others.  It is hard to imagine how many children face so much peril all over the world and right here in the USA.  Children go through things no child should ever have to.  There is so much value in giving.  It is nice to see people giving in what ever way you feel lead.  They have a lot of toy drives and things going on.  Last year my R2's company did one and we had fun purchasing items for that.  I think it was Toys for Tots last year.  Sadly, there were not enough people giving so this year they will not be participating in Toys for Tots.  The problem is a lot of people just don't have the funds in their budget.  Money is tight and I know a lot of people would have loved to have done it and could not last year.