In 2010, Children in Distress Foundation continued its tradition started over ten years ago: “Shoebox Campaign”. Each year, during the winter holidays, trucks filled with presents coming from England reach Romania in order to bring gifts for children found within special families, families from Bucharest and other vulnerable regions of the country.

     Each spring our sponsors from England begin preparing this campaign. It seems hard to believe, but in a shoe box nicely wrapped in paper, can fit sweets, toys, scarves and winter caps, hand-made products specially prepared for poor children found in Romania. This year, families from all over England managed to gather 6000 boxes for children found in our Foundation.

Visit the electronic magazine here http://shoebox.cid.org.ro/index.html

     Shortly after the presents arrived in Romania, during 17-24 of December, we tried to offer joy and happiness to children, not only from Bucharest but from all over the country. Supported by the National Authority for Child Protection – Bucharest Office and Saint Macrina Association, abandoned children received the gifts from Santa Claus. Children from no. 284 Kindergarten, no. 62 School and no. 1 Special School for Deaf Children from Bucharest were also on Santa Claus’ list.

     With the help of our volunteers, within our country, we succeeded in distributing shoe boxes (ShoeBox) even in remote villages: in Calugareni, Giurgiu county, Buzau county, Slobozia, Pitesti, Curtea de Arges, Calarasi Sarulesti counties and in Molodova region of our country. Vasiliada Association and Filantropia Association offered their help in order to distribute gifts from Santa Claus to children from other two counties: Dolj and Severin.

     Seeing the happiness brought by the gifts the children receive each year is one of the greatest accomplishments for our Foundation. This tradition means a lot for us, for our volunteers and for the children we visit, as they try each time to improve and please Santa Claus. Children always receive the gifts with sparkling eyes and with hope for a better future.