Helping Angels ran a Christmas Shoebox Project in December 2009 to provide gifts to underprivileged children in Cape Town and Johannesburg. People were invited to fill a shoebox with small toys, hygiene products, and snacks, then donate the boxes. Over 1800 boxes were collected from schools, companies, and individuals. The boxes were distributed to children's homes, places of safety for abused children, and to farm children in Kraaifontein, bringing joy to the recipients and making a positive difference in their Christmas.

1. Christmas Shoebox Project Helping Angels Dec 2009

2. Helping Angels ran a Christmas Shoebox Project for underprivileged children in CPT and JHB during Dec 2009. Our invitation to people was to do the following: You can prepare a general shoebox, or you can contact us for the name & age of a specific child that you can spoil this Christmas. Take a standard shoebox (so that each little angel gets a gift of about the same size) and fill it with the following items: Toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, facecloth, shampoo Snacks like chips, cookies, chocolate, lollipops Small gift like teddy, bubble blower, crayons, coloring book Add a note sending Christmas wishes from Santa Wrap your shoebox in colorful paper Collect the boxes from friends, family and colleagues and send your completed shoeboxes to us or phone us to collect. And when the boxes started coming in we were overwhelmed with the kind hearts and generosity of everyone wanting to make Christmas special!

3. We collected about 1800 boxes from so many people, schools and companies, here is a few of our sponsors that made boxes: Groote Schuur Primary school Gereformeerde Laerskool Bellville City of Cape Town Michelle Swart

4. Mikro Primary School CA Friedlander New Apostolic Church – Athlone congregation To all our other sponsors well done for making a difference this Christmas there is too many to name everyone personally but thanks so very much! Eeman & Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate Court

5. Handouts started on 5 Dec… Mamawethu House of Safety is run by Jellie and her husband Elke who adopted several children that came from very bad circumstances, and they are also taking in abused and abandoned babies that are awaiting court cases on a temporary basis.

7. Next stop was Malachi Place of Safety in Richwood, which is a safe house vir abused children. These children were removed from their parents due to abuse and/or neglect, and are awaiting court trials. We can not show their faces to protect their identity, since their parents are not allowed to know where they are.

8. Next stop was SA children’s home in Gardens! What a warm, wonderful home, we really enjoyed the time with the kids, and a huge thanks to Hester and all the staff that spoiled us with lunch during the handouts, we really appreciate your kindness!!

10. The next handouts was on Sunday, 6 Dec at Bottelary Farms in Kraaifontein This was the most stressful handout due to the quantity of children involved, but also the most rewarding, because for 90% if these farm children this will be their only Christmas gift they receive!

11. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped us on the day!!!

17. Thank you to everyone that gave these wonderful kids such a special day, all the sponsors and volunteers you made such a difference!

18. On 8 Dec we visited Shiloh Children’s home in Kraaifontein The 11 children in Shiloh home each received a Christmas Shoebox, but they also sponsor 54 children from Wallacedene squatter camp so we decided to make boxes for them as well. Shiloh will be handing out their boxes at a later stage.

19. The next stop was Durbanville Children’s home… where the kids were spoiled with cupcakes and chips

25. This is the end of part 1, part 2 of the shoebox handouts will follow soon 