For as little as $13, you can send a small flat-rate box of goodies (under 4lbs) to the orphanage yourself!
I don't know why I never thought to post this info before. (And perhaps it's not a good idea to keep this info up while I am over there, but...)
For this week I'll keep this posted, and hope some of you take the leap! Thus far the orphanage has received EVERY SINGLE box that has been sent since last May. Twenty boxes! But with over 100 children living there, you can imagine that a box of, say, socks does not last very long.
Here is how to send something, if the mood strikes you. I will be there at the other end and can tell you when you box is received! ( If you let me know what you sent and when you sent it!)
Go to your local post office. You will need to fill out a customs form. You will need to say the contents are worth under $25, even if that's not the case. (Otherwise the orphanage will have to pay on the other end.) You'll have to wrap it REALLY well to prevent theft along the way. (Think a roll of duct-tape.) You will need to address it VERY clearly. Write what appears below in BIG BOLD LETTERS.
HOW TO ADDRESS THE BOX:
Director: Nadezhda Ivanovna Lobanova
DETSKY DOM #5
SPARTAKOVSKAYA ULITSE 14A
PROKOPYEVSK
653008 KEMEROVO OBLAST
RUSSIA
I usually write the following Russian text in a prominent location on the box, to help prevent theft. The translation for it is " a donation for the children." I'll enlarge the font for easy copying...lol.
пожертвование для детей
And there you have it -- a simple way to change a life!
Any questions?
I would love to do this! What ages are the kids? All older, school-age? Anything in particular that is really needed or appreciated?
ReplyDeleteOk, I'll try it! Can you give a little more information about the "small flat-rate box"? What do I ask for at the post office? And can you give more suggestions for things to put in the box? I was thinking bars of soap. What about hard candy?
ReplyDeletethis sounds like and excellent project for me and my daughter - i know you have very little time before your trip- but can you list some favorite items that the children like to receive
ReplyDeleteyou are in my prayers
angela
This is a great suggestion! I fear my packets need to go to my kids' siblings, or their orphanages....but I hope you get a ton of them!
ReplyDeleteI can do that!
ReplyDeleteI sent bars of soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes for 100 kids a couple weeks ago, as well as crayons, pens, pencils, and I can't remember what else. The toothpaste were all sample size (a gift from some local dentists along with the toothbrushes), but I'd estimate only about half the bars of soap were samples. This might give some idea what they've been sent recently.
ReplyDeleteThings I would have liked to include if I'd had room in the box were facecloths, underwear, socks, fleece scarves, and candy. As it was the boxes were so stuffed I had to have help to tape them closed properly.
Oh I can't wait to start a box! Yay! What a good idea Keri!
ReplyDeleteAges of the kids: 3-17
ReplyDeleteWhat they need: EVERYTHING, but particularly shoes and (soon) winter coats.
What 'luxuries' they love getting: postcards, photos (of ANYTHING!)pens & pencils ( but they recently got some), craft supplies (they love making bracelets and such), gum, mints, playig cards...you name it!
You can even label the box as being for a particular "Gruppa". The kids are divided into groups by age and sex, for the most part. There is the "Under age 6" group of both boys and girls. They all share a room. Then there are several rooms for girls betwen 7-16, and others for boys 7-16.
Any other questions, feel free to ask!