For a child growing up without much of their own, receiving a personalised box full of useful items and treats can be a life-affirming experience. The social impact organisation, the Santa Shoebox Project, makes it easy to match donors with children through their online platform and a well-orchestrated delivery network.
Gateway Theatre of Shopping has been a flagship collection point for thousands of lovingly decorated and filled shoeboxes over the past five years. This year’s collection campaign is in full swing, and the mall would love to exceed the 2,201 boxes that it collected last year.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with the Santa Shoebox Project once again this year,” says Ayesha Sewbaran, Marketing Manager at Gateway Theatre of Shopping. “For us, it’s more than just a venue sponsorship – it’s about making a meaningful impact in our broader community and including everyone in the magic of the festive season.”
Operating for nineteen years, the Santa Shoebox Project is active all year round, identifying schools and setting up the well-oiled mechanisms that ensure donors connect with children and that these special parcels are delivered to the right places on time.
Santa Shoebox Project CEO, Debbie Zelezniak, says, “Santa Shoebox Project donors in Umhlanga are able to pledge support and contribute to lasting change in the lives of children in nearby communities. It is enormously heart-warming to see Gateway play such a valuable role in the lives of children in need.”
The Santa Shoebox Project has connected more than one million children in South Africa with generous donors who have created a personalised festive shoebox. Pledging is open on the Santa Shoebox website where donors connect with the children by name. Knowing the child’s age and gender means the box can be filled with the listed items bought specifically for them.
Donors are invited to use Gateway’s ‘drop & go’ station (at the mall’s Info desk) until 23 October. The collection campaign wraps up with a final weekend collection drive which starts from Thursday 24 October and closes on Saturday 26 October at 6pm. Over this period, the Santa Shoebox collection headquarters will be located next to Woolworths near Entrance 2 and open daily from 8am until 6pm.
For more information, visit www.santashoebox.org.za or www.gatewayworld.co.za.
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Author: Shirley Williams from Shirley Williams Communications on behalf of Gateway Theatre of Shopping.
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