OCC’s Item of the Month for July is Clothing

July is a great time to purchase clothes on sale. Clothing can also be handmade. Either way, items should be new. A child receives a shoebox only once in their life – let’s make these boxes great!

There is a wide variety of clothing items appropriate for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes! For example:

• T-shirts – Shirts without writing are best. English is not the primary language in many of the OCC countries and kids may not even understand what is written on their shirts. There’s also a culture gap.
• Shorts, especially those with elastic waistbands so they last and fit longer.
• Skirts, especially with elastic waistbands
• Hats
• Socks – These are key…it gets cold at night even though the days are hot.
• Handmade “Pillowcase” Dresses
• Flip Flops/Shoes – These are especially important because shoes help kids who have to walk long distances to get to school or to get water from a well. In some parts of the world, children have to walk long distances to school. They must wear shoes and provide their own school supplies, or they cannot attend. If they don’t have shoes, they can’t go to school. Flip flops are an excellent way to provide shoes for a child. Because the sizing is more general, they can wear them a long time, even as their feet grow.