Q. Where can I get a shoebox to fill?

A. Come pick up a pre-printed shoebox at church on Sunday morning. Or, there are two other options. You can use a basic 8″ x 12″ shoebox you have on hand, OR the store Hobby Lobby often sells red-and-green plastic boxes that can be used. If you use a plain shoebox from home, you ARE allowed to decorate the box with stickers or wrapping paper. Just DON’T tape the box shut!

Q. What should I put in my box?

A. Start with a “Wow” gift, like a baby doll, or a soccer ball (deflated) with a mini pump. Then, add in some school supplies, a small sport toy, small musical instrument, small clothing items or accessories, and some other small toys. Think FUN, but do BEWARE: there are a few kinds of things that are NOT allowed through customs! See the green list for ‘Go’ ideas, the yellow list explains things that are *sometimes* taboo, and the red list tells you what items need to ‘Stop!’ Children also love it if you include a letter, and a photo of you.

Q. Am I allowed to pack used items?

A. No. All items must be new and unused.

Q. Do all the items need to stay in their packaging?

A. Items MAY be removed from packaging to save space in the box, as long as the items is obviously in new condition.

Q. Should I seal my shoebox with packing tape?

A. NO!! All the boxes MUST be left unsealed for inspection by customs officials. You ARE allowed to hold the box shut with a jumbo rubber band or two.

Q. I’m a shut-in, and don’t get chances to shop for shoebox gifts. Can I still participate?

A. Yes! If you have a computer or a smart phone, click HERE to visit our “Build-A-Box” online page. You simply click through options to put in the box, pay the fee at the end (approximately $25), and you’ve packed a shoebox! You may build as many online shoeboxes as you’d like. Or, if you’re not internet savvy, you can put a donation envelope in the offering and mark it “for filling shoeboxes” or “for shipping shoeboxes.”

Q. How full should I make my box?

A. As full as possible, as long as the box will close! Empty spaces in the box will cause shaking and breakage during shipping. A FULL box is a SAFER box! And a FULL box means an even bigger smile from the child who opens it!

Q. Is there a limit to how many boxes I can fill and submit?

A. Nope! By all means, fill as many as God lays on your heart. More boxes filled means more of Jesus’ love to needy children.

Q. How do I ship my box?

A. Bring all of your hand-filled boxes to Eastport Baptist Church before the closing date of November 16th. Please enclose $10 to cover the shipping charges in an envelope. Also, use a small notepaper on the box to tell us if the box is intended for a BOY or a GIRL, and for what AGE child, from age 2-14.

Q. Does $10 really cover ALL the shipping to take my box overseas?

A. Actually, $10 covers MUCH more than that! It covers the shipping, and also covers training the local church volunteers on how to teach the gospel story to kids, and covers the cost for a small gospel story book for each child. Your $10 donation goes a LONG way!

Q. What if I can’t afford the $10 shipping charge?

A. Bring a full shoebox, anyway. There are often a few boxes where the shipping charge isn’t included, or was forgotten, and other donations can cover those boxes.

Q. Can I choose where my box is shipped?

A. No, but if you enclose the $10 shipping charge, we WILL be able to track where the gift went. The church Pastor generally receives an e-mail 2-3 months later, revealing which countries received our boxes.