What is a Supporter? There are 5 types of supporters: Facility Representatives / Beneficiaries who apply to receive Santa Shoeboxes each year. Volunteers offer a physical service to the Project by becoming actively involved throughout the year or at certain stages. Donors pledge Shoebox(es) online for children from vulnerable social backgrounds. Team Donors are companies or groups of people who wish to pledge more than 20 Shoeboxes. Sponsors are members of the public or companies who wish to donate funds or goods and services. Financial donations can be made through the website. The SSP Sponsorship team manages any offers of goods and services.
Why do I need to register?
As a Supporter of the Project you need to register and agree to the terms and conditions which protect you and the beneficiaries of the Project.
Why do I need to update my profile regularly?
Updating your details keeps you up to date on the terms and conditions which protect you and the beneficiaries of the Project. At the same time it will ensure you receive the correct information at the correct time. The child to whom you pledge to make a Shoebox has a special code, the code makes sure the 2 of you are connected at all times – this way when you drop your Shoebox off at the correct Drop Off point on the correct day we can make sure it reaches “your” child.
Update your profile by selecting the login link on the top right of each page.
I’ve forgotten my password.
Click on the ResetPassword link on the login page. An SMS will be sent to the cell number attached to your profile.
I’ve entered my email address and I get a message that it already exists.
Once you have registered as a Supporter, your email address will be remembered by the system. Each donor requires their own email address. If you cannot remember the password please click on the ResetPassword link on the login page. An SMS will be sent to the cell number attached to your profile.
My email address and or personal details have changed. Please login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. Click on the My Profile tab and update all your details. Submit to save your changes.
How do I change my Drop Off? Login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. Click on the My Profile tab and update all your details. Submit to save your changes.
I have previously registered as a Donor and would now like to volunteer too. Login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. Select the Volunteer tab. Tick where applicable and Submit to save your changes. A member of the SSP team will be in contact with you.
Why does pledging open on 1 September if Santa Shoeboxes are Christmas gifts?
As you can imagine, handing tens of thousands of personalised Shoeboxes to the precise children for whom they were pledged, takes some doing!
While our Teams of Volunteers are indeed super-heroes, to achieve that in one day – or even one month – would be impossible. Instead, the Project runs on an annual timeline ensuring that each beneficiary child receives their Shoebox before schools break up for the holidays, before our sponsors are immersed in their all-important end-of-year business, and before our donors are focused on their own families.
This Project is all about sharing the joy of giving!
When and how can I start pledging? Pledging opens on 1 September each year. Login with your registered email address / cell number and password used during registration. Select the pledging tab and follow the prompts.
When does pledging close? Pledging closes on the day before the Drop Off starts or as and when the public has pledged all the names. The number of pledges available at each Drop Off are dependent on the available resources in the area.
How does the individual pledge work? As an individual Donor, you are able to make a maximum of 20 pledges. If you’d like to pledge more please create a Team Pledge.
How does a Team Pledge work? As a Donor you are able to create a Team Pledge. A team is any group of people who require more than 20 pledges. Our Team Pledge Help Desk is contactable on teampledge@santashoebox.org.za
If you’d like to help out for a few hours at a Drop Off please contact your local coordinator and they’ll happily put you to work.
Why can I no longer select children from a specific facility? The Children’s Act 38 of 2005 (as amended by the Children’s Amendment Act 41 of 2007) and the associated Regulations came into force on 1 April 2010 to respect, promote, protect and fulfill children’s constitutional rights. The Santa Shoebox Project upholds the rights of children, ensuring that active steps are taken to prevent third parties from violating those rights.
My company / organisation would like to participate as part of our CSI initiative. Such a wonderful idea! We will happily guide and assist you to ensure a successful and fun-filled team-building event. Please email teampledge@santashoebox.org.za to get the ball rolling.
What is an Extra Shoebox and what is it used for?
When a donor pledges an Extra Shoebox s/he chooses a child only by age and gender. These Shoeboxes play a very important role by making up for “no show” boxes, and for ensuring that there are Shoeboxes for new children who have joined the Facility since the time the name list was handed in, earlier in the year. The content requirements of Extra Shoeboxes are exactly the same as those for named children. Donors who pledge Extra Shoeboxes are our Super Heroes!
How much does a Santa Shoebox cost?
The monetary value of the box depends on the age of the child and where the shopping is done. As long as the box contains ALL 8 required items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, washcloth, educational supplies, outfit of clothing, sweets and a toy), it can cost anything from R300 upwards. A Virtual Santa Shoebox is an abundant box costing R450.
Must a Santa Shoebox contain ALL the required items?
Yes, all 8 required items (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, washcloth, educational supplies, outfit of clothing, sweets and a toy) must be included – all new, unused and age-appropriate. Please refer to FAQ How to Pack a Shoebox for more information. Extra bits and bobs over and above the required items are welcome, as long as all the items fit into a medium sized box.
I would like to pack chocolate and blow bubbles in my box?
Chocolate, blow bubbles and all other liquids must be placed in a sealed Ziplock bag, to prevent possible spoiling of the Shoebox – chocolate may melt, containers may break and liquids may spill. Please refer to FAQ How to pack a Shoebox for more information.
What size Shoebox should I use?
A medium size box, 20 x 34 x 11cm, is recommended. This is the size box of an adult running shoe. Any box larger than this impacts on the packing capacity of the cartons we use to deliver the Shoeboxes. The bigger the Shoeboxes, the more cartons are needed, and the more expensive the process becomes. Any boxes which are too large (e.g. boot boxes) might have to be repacked into smaller boxes at the Drop Off. You’d have to be a magician to pack all the required items into a much smaller box! Flip-top boxes are quite acceptable. Paper ream boxes are ideal, provided the sides have been cut down to a maximum height of 15cm. Decorative gift boxes bought at retail stores are sometimes square in shape, and deeper. These are acceptable, provided they are of a medium size. The same applies to plastic containers.
Why can I not wrap my box like a gift?
Boxes and their lids must please be covered separately, rather than ‘wrapped’, so that the Shoeboxes can be opened and closed easily, without ruining the wrapping. Children keep the Shoeboxes as a Keepsake Box – if they rip off the wrapping paper, the box underneath is unattractive and there is litter as a result of the ripped off wrapping paper. In addition, if the label has been ripped off with the paper, the gift boxes might get mixed up. Also, the boxes need to be checked at the Drop Off venues, to ensure compliance and the safety of the child.
Where do I find my labels? Please login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. Click on the Pledges tab in your profile. Next to each child you have pledged you will find the label.
Your labels contain ALL the info about your beneficiary child – name, age, gender and clothing size
Print your labels, cut them out, and attach them securely to the top of your Shoebox
A label measures A6 (a quarter A4) and 4 can be printed per page – do not resize labels as this distorts the barcode used to track the shoebox.
Why are boxes checked at the Drop Off? Each and every box received on behalf of the recipient children needs to be checked. Our trained volunteers at Drop Off do a swift routine inspection of each box to ensure compliance. Under no circumstances are any items removed from boxes, unless they are undesirable of nature; read more about this under FAQs – How to Pack a Shoebox. Any required items that have been omitted from the box need to be included, so that no child receiving a Shoebox feels less fortunate. We rely on the generous donations of items and funds from the public and our sponsors to purchase these items. It is NOT acceptable to omit items from the required list.
What is an Extra Shoebox and what is it used for?
When a donor pledges an Extra Shoebox s/he chooses a child only by age and gender. These Shoeboxes play a very important role by making up for “no show” boxes, and for ensuring that there are Shoeboxes for new children who have joined the Facility since the time the name list was handed in, earlier in the year. The content requirements of Extra Shoeboxes are exactly the same as those for named children. Donors who pledge Extra Shoeboxes are our Super Heroes!
What is a Virtual Santa Shoebox?
This is a Santa Shoebox that we make on your behalf. You choose the gender and age of the child and we select a child’s name from our list who has not yet been pledged and create a Santa Shoebox for them. A VSS contains all 8 required items, any additional sponsored gifts, a personalised label and is personally handed to the beneficiary child. You may also write your child a note which we’ll include in their Shoebox.
Who receives the Virtual Santa Shoeboxes?
Virtual Santa Shoeboxes are destined for children living in remote rural areas of South Africa. There are insufficient donors in these areas to pledge a Santa Shoebox for every child in need. This means that the children who receive a VSS would otherwise not have received a Santa Shoebox at all.
How much does a Virtual Santa Shoebox cost? R 450.00
I have pledged a Shoebox but can’t deliver; can I pay you and you’ll make it? Oops …. the lists of beneficiaries on the traditional Santa Shoeboxes lists are not those on the Virtual Santa Shoebox list. If at all possible could you find a lift for your Shoebox? As a last resort you can cancel your pledge, releasing the name to the public to be pledged again. You can do this under your profile. Click here to purchase a Virtual Santa Shoebox.
Drop Off venues and dates are dependent on sponsors and the availability of Volunteer teams, both of which are planned at the beginning of each year.
Where and when do I drop my box off? When you Register as a Supporter, you will be asked to identify your most convenient Drop Off point, which is where your Santa Shoebox MUST be delivered. Please ensure that you select a point that is convenient and that you can get to the Drop Off point on the allocated dates.
How do I change my Drop Off?
Please login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. On the top right of your profile click on the My Profile tab, where you can update all your details; edit and save.
Why is there no Drop Off in my area?
Drop Offs are dependent on having Santa Shoebox volunteers in an area. Drop Offs are linked to teams of Santa Shoebox volunteers who administer the facility application process which takes place between February and April. Because of this, our Drop Offs have already been finalised for the year. If you would like a Drop Off in your area please consider signing up as a Coordinator for next year.
To sign up as a Satellite Coordinator Login with the email address or cell number and password you used during registration. Select the Volunteer tab. Tick where applicable and Submit to save your changes. A member of the SSP team will be in contact with you.
What is the difference between a Drop Off and a Drop and GO? Drop Offs are events managed by Santa Shoebox Volunteers who receive, check and sort the shoeboxes ready for distribution to the various facilities.
A Drop and Go is a sponsored venue where you can deliver your shoebox should you not be able to do so on the required Drop Off date. In some cases a Drop and Go has been created in areas where donors would like to donate shoeboxes but there is no Drop Off.
Any shoeboxes delivered to Drop and Go’s are transported to the official Drop Off on or before the indicated dates.
Will there be an alternative Drop Off date and venue?
Unfortunately not. At the Drop Off, Santa Shoeboxes are checked and packed into large cartons according to facility. The cartons are then collected, stored, distributed and handed out. There is no way for your late shoebox to catch up with this process. Any shoebox not delivered within the stipulated Drop Off time, will be considered a “no show”.
What happens if I miss my Drop Off date or forget to make my box?
A pledge is a promise – do not break your promise to the beneficiary child. PLEASE check FAQs – Find my Local Drop Off before you pledge and make a commitment to a child. If you have pledged a box and can no longer fulfill the commitment, please Contact Us immediately.
Why are shoeboxes checked at Drop Off?
Each and every box that Santa Shoebox receives on behalf of the recipient children needs to be checked. Our trained volunteers at each Drop Off do a swift routine inspection of each box to check for compliance. Under no circumstances are any items removed from boxes, unless they are undesirable of nature; read more about this under FAQs – How to pack a Shoebox. Any required items that have been omitted from the box need to be included, so that no child receiving a Shoebox feels less fortunate. We rely on the generous donations of items and funds from the public and our sponsors to purchase these items. It is NOT acceptable to omit items from the required list.
What happens if a Drop Off doesn’t reach fully pledged? Each year the number of shoeboxes we’re able to distribute is based on the previous years’ result – how many pledges were made and how many shoeboxes were delivered.
SSP receives far more applications for shoeboxes than we are able to distribute. In our Beneficiary Terms & Conditions we explain that the Santa Shoebox Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If donors do not pledge or drop off sufficient shoeboxes, we may not be able to deliver shoeboxes to every approved facility. Should this happen, we assess each facility according to logistical and other criteria, and allocate the shoeboxes which we do have in a way which ensures that they are best utilised.
Drop Off dates cannot be extended due to the availability of Drop Off venues, the availability of Volunteers and the availability of logistics resources. A shoebox which is delivered after Drop Off is seen as a no-show and allocated as above.
My organisation would like to apply to receive Santa Shoeboxes.
Applications to receive Santa Shoeboxes for the current year are ONLY open in April. Register / Login to create yourself a Supporter profile, ensuring you receive campaign notifications and to prepare to apply in April.
The success of this Project depends on its volunteers.
If you’d like to help out for a few hours at the Drop Off please Register / Login and update your profile to include Volunteer as one of your offerings. Our volunteer coordinator will be in further contact.
Satellite Teams are responsible for managing and implementing the project at ground level
Implementing policies and procedures
Managing volunteers
Receiving and assessing applications and name lists
Marketing
Drop Off, storage and delivery of Shoeboxes
Celebrations
Coordinator – manages the year-long Project within their area, which is known as a satellite. The Coordinator is the vital link between Head Office and the satellite.
Sub-Coordinator – a core team member of the satellite, managed by the Coordinator. Sub-Coordinators form the direct link between SSP and the Applicants, liaising with facilities and managing the relationship. It is recommended that a Sub-Coordinator manages no more than 7 successful applications.
Team Members – additional roles are required periodically; these can be shared or taken on individually:
I have a connection at my local newspaper, who can I put them in contact with? Please ask them to mail media@santashoebox.org.za. For more info and downloadable media materials, please visit our Resources – In the Media
Can you please send me information about the Santa Shoebox Project?
All information is available on the website. About will give you an idea of “who we are”. Watching the videos in our Gallery will give you a deeper understanding of the organisation. Under In the Media, the media releases and newsletters give an excellent summary of “what we do”, and how you can become involved by Becoming a Supporter.
I’ve heard about other shoebox projects managed by a number of social groups – do you all belong to the same organisation? No. The Santa Shoebox Project is an initiative of the JOG Trust (IT2671/2009), a registered Public Benefit (PBO 930031301) and Non Profit Organization (NPO 102-098) with Section 18A status. The Santa Shoebox Project and its logo are trademarked; any unauthorised use of these may be an infringement.
