U.S. Embassy Shares Holiday Spirit

December 11, 2012

Kids during the event.

The United States Embassy once again organized activities to share the Holiday Spirit with the Panamanian community. The ‘Shoebox Project’ was launched for the first time with the help of the community and the Metropolitan School, Balboa Academy, Christian Crossroads Academy and the Atenea Institute.  On December 11^th, United States Ambassador Jonathan Farrar participated in the ‘Shoebox Project’ event in the Estados Unidos de America School in San Felipe.  This project consisted of the donation of around a 1,000 beautifully gift-wrapped shoe boxes filled with personal hygiene products, little toys, sweets and other items, to be delivered during December to students of the Estados Unidos School, Children’s Hospital, youth from the Coco Solo community and youth from the ‘Por Mi Barrio’ Youth Outreach Center in Barrio Norte, Colón.  The ‘Shoebox Project’ in Panama was inspired by the Operation Christmas Child; for more information, visit: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/

The members of the U.S. Marine Corps and Embassy staff also gathered toys, like previous years, for the Toys for Tots program.  Mail Boxes Etc. support was very important, offering their offices for the collection of toys.  These toys will be delivered in various locations around Panama, such as the ‘Por Mi Barrio-San Miguelito’ Youth Outreach Center and the ProNiños Foundation in Penonomé.  

Toys for Tots is an international program organized by the United States Marine Corps, both in the U.S. and stations abroad.  In the last 64 years, the Toys for Tots Program has delivered a message of hope to children from underserved communities through the gift of a new toy.  In 2010, Toys for Tots delivered 16.7 million toys donated to more than 7.2 million children that would otherwise not be able to experience the magic of the Holiday season.  The lives of many children were touched by the generous support from the public. For more information on Toys for Tots, visit: www.toysfortots.org.

These initiatives are an extension of our people to people efforts to help create stronger communities and safer streets by supporting organizations that provide safe and constructive environments for youth, and allow us to show our appreciation for these NGOs that work so hard for these praiseworthy goals.