Dear friends of My School Ticino,
We are delighted to inform you that Medacta for Life Foundation in collaboration with ATFA (Ticino Foster Family Association) is launching the Christmas Charity Box initiative for the third year in a row: as you might know, it’s a collection of Charity Boxes addressed to children and teenagers housed in child shelter accommodation in Canton Ticino.
A charity box is an act of generosity to bring a smile to children experiencing stressful situations. This initiative has brought hundreds of children and young people a special moment of sharing and warmth over Christmas: Your heartfelt support encouraged us to repeat it again with joy and great energy.
With this in mind (and heart) we ask you to join us in this initiative: your action can really make a difference especially during the merry and joyful Christmas times when not everyone is so lucky as to celebrate with the
loved ones.
To monitor the collection and be able to meet all children and teenagers’ preferences with the correct gift according to age and gender, this year we have created an online form to “reserve” the box you wish to donate (if addressed to male or female, and what age), alternatively choose to make a monetary donation. We remind you that cash donations are essential for us to purchase Gift Cards for older kids. As indicated to us by the managers of the Centres, the Gift Cards allow children to personally choose their own gifts, accompanied by their educators.
Please bear in mind that the collection starts Monday 28th November to Wednesday 7th December
NB: in case we receive more boxes than the actual registered numbers, we shall donate them to less fortunate minors in need around Ticino (in more disadvantaged families, guests of Immigration centres, Ukrainian refugees, etc.) through the Red Cross, Soccorso d’Inverno (Social services organisation in Lugano) and the Ape del Cuore project by Lugano’s church youth club.
What to do:
1. Access the Christmas Box online form to indicate how you will contribute to the initiative
2. Once we reach the number of Boxes required for a given age group and gender, the relevant option will
disappear from the form and you may then select the category where Boxes are still needed (the Centres directly communicate these details to us)
3. Take a shoebox and fill it with:
– something warm to wear (gloves, a scarf, a hat, a jumper, etc.);
-something sweet to eat (sweets, chocolate, dried fruit, a lollypop, etc.);
– something fun to do (a book, a crossword book, a board game, playing cards, a colouring book with coloured pencils, etc.);
– anything you are happy to donate… and kids are happy to receive (a table game, a book, a teddy bear for the little ones, a doll, etc)
– a beauty product (cream, bubble bath, perfume, make up, nail varnish etc.);
– a toiletry or an accessory (a child’s toothbrush, toothpaste, hair grips or a hair band, necklaces, bracelets etc);
– a card: because words are worth even more than things!
4. Wrap the shoebox up, decorate it, and specify (in one corner) who it would be suitable for (a girl, a boy or
unisex) and add the age too (0/3 – 3/6 – 6/10 – 10/14 – 15/18)
5. Deliver or ship between Mon 28th Nov. and Wednesday 7th Dec. to the following addresses:
My School Ticino, Alle Zocche 2, 6874 Castel San Pietro
or
Associazione Ticinese Famiglie Affidatarie, Vicolo Antico 2, 6943 Vezia
6. For the 11/14 and 15/18 age groups we will donate Manor Gift Cards worth CHF 40.- each.
If you wish to surprise the older kids, you may do so via a free donation (see bank details below – please indicate
“Iniziativa Box Solidali” as reason for the transfer).
For Gift Cards or free donations towards Medacta For Life Foundation’s charity projects, please refer to this Banca dello Stato del Canton Ticino bank account registered to Medacta For Life Foundation.
– CHF IBAN: CH8100764201053002001
– EURO IBAN: CH2700764201053002003 BIC (Swift): BSCTCH22
Heartfelt thank you!