CHRISTMAS SHOEBOXES

Rose Helie (founder of Mustard Seed [Jersey] and now co-ordinator) introduced Christmas shoeboxes to the island in 1993, under the umbrella of another charity. The shoebox project was enthusiastically received by Jersey people and so marked the beginning of Rose’s involvement in humanitarian aid work. The realisation grew that if a child needed a shoebox at Christmas, probably he or she needed help throughout the year…. It has grown from there.

Mustard Seed [Jersey] usually sends Christmas shoeboxes to Romania and Moldova. A team from Jersey often go over to distribute them and this is always a highlight of the year.

In 2002 a group of senior citizens attending a day care centre in Jersey asked if they could pack shoeboxes for pensioners like themselves. The first year almost 100 boxes for pensioners were sent along with the children's shoeboxes.

As far as we know Mustard Seed Jersey is the only charity to send Christmas shoeboxes to needy pensioners as well as needy children. As the media in the west have consistently publicized the plight of children in Romania there has been a huge amount of help sent for children. Statistics now show that pensioners are the most vulnerable group.

In 2006 as well as sending over 2000 shoeboxes for children Mustard Seed Jersey sent almost 1000 shoeboxes for needy pensioners. It was a joint Channel Island effort, as there some shoeboxes from Alderney and Sark.

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