The shoebox gift movement started in theUnited Kingdom.  This activity allows individuals to care for others by placing gifts such as office supplies, toys, footwear, gloves, candy etc. into shoeboxes and give them to those in need. This activity not only helps others, it is also environmentally friendly.

Receiving such simple gifts may not be something that excites the minds of most children today, however, to many orphans the thought of receiving a holiday gift is something they look forward to.

During the 2011 Christmas holiday, Nanjing YMCA collected gifts for the shoeboxes fromNanjing’s elementary and middle school students as well as students from aBritishInternationalSchoolinNanjing. Enough donations were received to put together nearly 1,000 shoebox gifts. (The 18 participating schools includedEastBeijingRoadElementary School,YangziRiverRoadElementary School,NanjingNormalUniversitySubsidiaryElementary School,ChengXianStreetElementary School,LhasaRoadElementary School,LangyaRoadElementary School, Lixue Elementary and West Youfu Street Elementary.)

It must also be noted that the students’ parents actively participated in this activity, for example:XianlinSchool’s Xin Gao, father Jie Gao and mother Yi Jun Lou each donated brand new gifts for the shoeboxes including a pencil box and pens, winter gloves, and socks. This is just one of many examples. It was very touching to see the orphans when we delivered the shoebox gifts, such as the one donated by Xin Gao’s family. This group of donors also includes Yuan Yuan from Suse Photography, Yun Han Chu from Middle 29, Shi Jie Liang and Shi Hao Li fromChineseMiddle School, and Yi Jun Chen from the Baixia Golden Eagle International Garden.

This activity had the help of many volunteers and, although we were strangers, we were brought together for this great cause. Orphans thousands of miles away felt our love, were filled with hope, and given the ability to overcome challenges. This love warms their hearts so that they can make it through any challenge.

President Lee planned the decoration of these shoeboxes with colorful paper, along with the gifts inside the shoeboxes (school supplies, household items, games and sporting goods). When the children received the gifts, no matter if they received pencil boxes, rackets, scarfs, sweaters, gloves or socks, they were all extremely happy.

In each shoebox was placed a letter with the name and address of a student that donated gifts so that the children that received these gifts could write a letter and continue to pass on the love that they feel.