Box up joy this Christmas with Team Hope’s Shoebox Appeal

We spoke to former shoebox recipient Adas. 

Entering its 15th anniversary, Team Hope’s Christmas Shoebox Appeal continues to emphasise the importance of giving joy during the holiday season. These shoeboxes are gifted to children from countries across Africa and Eastern Europe who are experiencing poverty or hardship. This year Team Hope aims to distribute their 3 millionth box of joy.

Adas received a shoebox as a child. He spoke to JOE about the impact receiving it had on him and how this one small gesture has seen him give back joy tenfold.

“I was growing up in Lithuania. I was born in 1988 so we were kind of still part of the Soviet Union. We became an independent country in 1990 so the 90s was a hard time for a lot of people.”

“A lot of people found it hard to make enough money to live very comfortably. So we were in that boat with my parents,” he noted.

“I lived in a small village, and I went to a primary school there. Around Christmas time, there was a Christmas play in the local Hall and after the play, there were these shoe boxes given out – Christmas shoe boxes. So, I was given a shoebox.”

Adas recalls that he can’t have been much older than 8 or 9 years of age but notes how “I really remember that day well.”

Speaking about his family's move to Ireland during the early 00s, Adas recalls how the Christmas shoeboxes once again entered his life: “I think within the year, maybe two years I saw posters or something for the Christmas Shoebox Appeal. And I was like, 'Oh, I immediately remember I got one of these.'”

“I told my parents and my family, and we kind of got involved,” he continued, saying how it then “became a bit of a tradition.”

Once he entered the working world as an adult, Adas continued his involvement with Christmas Shoebox Appeals: “I joined a big multinational insurance software company, and then within a couple of years of joining, I was like you know, this might be a good place to try and get some more shoeboxes.’”

His continued involvement in the shoebox appeal saw Adas get his entire workplace involved, to the point the initiative took a life of its own. 

“At this point, it's not just me steering it,” he said, “There's, you know, there's a whole committee.” 

Annually, Adas and his colleagues go and volunteer at the shoebox checking centre based in Dublin. He also noted how he and his coworkers “raise funds for the shoebox appeal” outside of making the boxes and volunteering at the centre.

Adas' involvement has also been passed down through generations. 

“I have children now, and, you know, my children are doing it every year,” he revealed.  

“So it's really a good thing to get involved in, as a family or as a job or just individually.”

Adas' advice to those wanting to get involved was simple, with him calling on Team Hope’s website as an invaluable resource: “The website is great, that will tell you exactly what needs to go into the shoebox. Then there's the 4 Ws to make it easy…something to wash with, something to write with,  something to wear, and the wow, like a toy or something.”

“Even if you maybe can't afford to put a bunch of stuff in, you know, I wouldn't worry too much just grab a shoe box and a bit of wrapping paper.”

Team Hope are accepting physical shoebox donations until  November 15th so you best get wrapping. For those unable to pack a shoebox you can donate one online until December 23rd. Help make a difference today and box up the gift of joy.