Though many things were different about this year’s holidays, residents of Simcoe County still contributed to the national effort to deliver Christmas presents to kids who have never received gifts.
The Samaritan’s Purse Canada shoebox campaign continued this year thanks to more than nine million shoeboxes packed by people all over the world, both physically and online.
Canadians donated 373,188 boxes, which were delivered to children in countries that have been hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease and famine.
Ontario residents packed 131,242 boxes, and more than 6,500 of those came from Simcoe County.
“Given the tremendous pandemic challenges all of us faced in 2020, we are extremely thankful to Canadians – many of whom are unemployed or facing economic uncertainty - for their generosity in continuing to support this program,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada, in a news release.
According to Samaritan’s Purse Canada, Barrie residents contributed 3,552 shoeboxes, Orillia residents filled 2,669 shoeboxes and another 598 shoeboxes came from residents in Simcoe County municipalities outside of Barrie and Orillia.
The numbers are down this year, compared to a banner year in 2019 for the Operation Christmas Child program.
Last year, the program reported nearly 10,000 shoeboxes came in from Simcoe County.
Operation Christmas Child has hand-delivered more than 186 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries.
Anyone can pack a box anytime virtually at PackaBox.ca, with options to choose gift items and upload personal notes and photos.
