Archdiocese participating in ‘Box of Joy’

The Archdiocese of Mobile is again participating in Cross Catholic Outreach’s “Box of Joy” program.
Last year, through the efforts of 906 participating Catholic parishes, schools and groups across the U.S., including the Archdiocese of Mobile, Cross Catholic Outreach collected and delivered gift-filled Boxes of Joy to 75,797 children in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Grenada, the Bahamas and Guatemala. Cross Catholic Outreach’s goal is to increase the number of children served to 100,000 by this year.
“This year, perhaps more than any other, Box of Joy will be a small light in the darkness of the pandemic for thousands of families in Latin America who have suffered greatly,” said Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. “These small gifts of toys, toothbrushes, Bible stories, Rosaries and crayons will be all that these children will receive for Christmas.”
Catholic parishes, schools and groups nationwide organize Boxes of Joy by packing the boxes with small gifts like toys and school supplies, and adding essentials like soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, as well as a few treats like hard candy and coloring books. Participants include $9 in each box to cover shipment from the local drop-off center to the child.
Catholic Social Services and Our Savior Parish will serve as dropoff centers in Mobile, while Montgomery Catholic High School will serve as a dropoff center in Montgomery in November. See Page 7 for a full schedule.
Those uncomfortable with in-person groups are welcome to Create-A-Box online and send a Box of Joy directly through the ministry’s website.
Participation in the Create-A-Box option, which gives families an easy way to send a box online to a needy child, increased 22 percent in 2019.
Parish participation increased by 59 percent and Catholic school participation increased by 37 percent.
“We are thrilled with the increase in participation in Box of Joy last year,” Cavnar said.
“Families, parishes and school groups were extraordinarily generous, and we eagerly await the opportunity to serve even more children this year, sharing the joy of the occasion of the birth of Jesus.”
Cross Catholic Outreach is encouraging parishes, families and schools to follow all recommended CDC social distancing guidelines when planning, shopping for and packing boxes.
Project leaders will receive suggestions and tips on how to run their own Box of Joy campaign this year and practice safe social distancing.
“Packing a Box of Joy is always a wonderful work of mercy for families to participate in,” Cavnar said.
“This year, packing boxes within families is also an activity where social distancing is easy to observe.”