Volunteer to Assemble Shoeboxes Built Online
We praise God that hundreds of thousands of shoebox gifts were ordered this year through Build a Shoebox Online! Yet before these boxes can make their way to hard-to-reach countries with the message of His love, they must be assembled according to specific instructions. The tremendous response has taken many weeks to coordinate, but we are just about ready to begin packing these special boxes. You’re invited to participate in this unique response to bless boys and girls around the world. Whether you’re interested in serving as an individual or with a group, you can have a direct part in shining Christ’s light in some of the world’s darkest places.
Details
Charlotte Processing Center
Start Date:
May 8, 2021
Times:
Tuesday-Saturday
9 a.m–9 p.m.
Samaritan’s Purse is working hard to help protect the health of our volunteers. Before your service date, everyone in your group should be free of COVID-19 related symptoms for 14 days and should not have been exposed to anyone that is known positive for COVID-19 during that same time period.
- Participants should stay home if exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19.
- Social distancing is ensured by our new processing procedures.
- Hand sanitizer is positioned throughout the processing center.
- Each person should monitor their temperature before traveling to the processing center, and temperature checks will be administered by our staff upon arrival (staff temperatures are monitored daily as well). Individuals with a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or greater are not permitted to serve in the processing center.
- Face coverings are required at all times inside the processing center (and optional gloves will be provided). Face shields are an acceptable alternative only if a volunteer cannot wear a face mask due to a medical or behavioral condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tuesday—Saturday, 9 AM to 9 PM
May 8—June 26, 2021
For the safety of those serving in the processing center, all volunteers in the building must be at least 13 years old at the time of their visit. No exceptions can be made. We require a ratio of one chaperone to every four youth under the age of 18. The primary responsibilities of chaperones are to ensure the safety and appropriate behavior of their youth, to advise them on the proper procedures for their assigned tasks, to help them have a great experience, and to not lose sight of the significance of their work.
For this project, shoebox gifts built online are packed with items selected by online donors and prepped for shipment, rather than the inspecting of shoebox gifts traditionally packed by donors.
Teams are responsible for creating and packing the boxes with the items that were chosen by the online donor, supporting the packing line by restocking items, taping and placing boxes in cartons, and stacking and palletizing the cartons. Each job is important, and every volunteer plays a vital role in spreading the Gospel message to hard-to-reach areas.
We want your experience at the processing center to be an enjoyable one, so please make proper provisions to be comfortable. Open-toed shoes and sandals are a safety hazard in the warehouse, so please wear closed-toed shoes appropriate for moving around the warehouse floor. We recommend wearing layered, casual clothes because there likely will be some open dock doors, which can cause the temperature inside the warehouse to vary.
There is a break area in the processing center. Vending machines are stocked with cold water, soft drinks, juices, and snacks. There will not be any on-site food vendors. You may bring your own meals and snacks with you to the processing center and enjoy them in the break room. Please be aware that all personal bags and coolers are subject to inspection. Ice is not provided; however, you may bring your own ice in coolers. No food or drinks are allowed outside of the break area. Please be advised that tobacco products are not allowed on the property. There are many restaurants in the area surrounding the processing center. The staff at the processing center can advise you of options when you arrive.
Yes, traditional shoeboxes are always welcome! Your shoeboxes will be processed at a later date to prepare them for shipment.
Samaritan's Purse has made the required modifications to conform to local, state, and federal guidelines. As we continue to monitor virus trends, we are also developing contingency plans to ensure proper safety measures as shoeboxes are packaged.
Even those who have had the virus or received a full series of vaccinations are not permitted to serve in the processing center if they have been in contact with a COVID-19 positive person within 14 days of reporting to the processing center. They may still potentially carry and spread the virus to others.
We seek to set a standard of care in this unique season and ask volunteers to adhere to the same. Volunteers will be required to wear a face covering while in the processing center. Masks will be available on-site for those who do not have one. Samaritan’s Purse has established ministry wide COVID-19 guidelines, and a physician’s order will not be permitted.
Due to the tremendous response and the massive number of shoeboxes built online, it has taken several weeks to coordinate this large packing project.
Yes, there will be an on-site Gear Store. Please note that the Gear Store will only accept credit and debit cards.
Have questions or suggestions? Email occinfo@samaritan.org
