Alternative Charities
I often recieve emails such as the following:
I've just read the content on your site and been shocked. Like the other people, I had no idea that there were "strings" being attached to gifts freely donated. Are you able to, perhaps, indicate other charities or organisations who will distribute shoeboxes of gifts for children, but without the evangelisation of OCC?
Thank you for letting people know about OCC.
Best wishes.
SH
My response:
21st Century Child - a shoebox scheme collecting small gifts for children in Eastern Europe - see www.21stcenturychild.org .
Link Romania - another Christian shoebox scheme collecting small gifts for children in Eastern Europe, but without the religious literature and evangelical rallies of OCC - see www.linkromania.co.uk/.
OneChild OneWorld - a secular alternative to OCC. This was recently (2008) set up by a former member of OCC who left to set up a non-evangelising alternative - http://www.onechildoneworld.org.uk/. For the story behind this see http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/lifestyle-news/book-reviews/2008/06/15/north-man-quits-charity-shoebox-scheme-79310-21076821/
The Rotary Shoebox Scheme http://www.rotaryshoebox.org/
The Aquabox scheme which provides water treatment for disaster areas in numbered boxes so you know where your box went - www.aquabox.org.
Oxfam where you can donate a flock of chickens or a camel, or textbooks or dinners for a third world school. For these and many other life-changing or life-saving gifts go to www.oxfamunwrapped.com.
Give a goat for Rwanda or a bicycle for a midwife in Cambodia or help to turn weapons of war into farm implements via www.goodgifts.org.
The Blue Peter appeal, which is always carefully chosen so that virtually any family can contribute www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/bluepeter.
Unicef
Save the Children (USA)
http://www.savethechildren.org/
Save the Children (UK)
http://www.savethechildren.co.uk/
Barnardos
American Red Cross
Plan is an international development organisation, working to alleviate poverty and help children in developing countries to realise their full potential.
http://www.plan-international.org/
Also Gifts4Life (UK).
Oxfam International
The Hunger Site:
