Over 75,797 Children Blessed With Box of Joy

Each year, the Box of Joy ministry sponsors a Christmas gift program on behalf of the poor, organized by local Catholic schools, parishes and groups across the United States and facilitated by Cross Catholic Outreach. Box of Joy provides teachers, parish leaders and other Catholic groups a unique opportunity to participate in a simple and tangible service experience that has both a material and a spiritual impact on the poorest of the poor in developing countries. The ministry also provides a unique opportunity for Catholics to engage in service with others in their local communities who share the same desire to spread Christmas joy and the story of Christmas — the Good News of God’s love — to children worldwide.

In 2019, the Box of Joy ministry sent Christmas gifts to over 75,797 children in developing countries such as Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Grenada, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. For many, a Box of Joy — filled with toys, clothing, school supplies, a rosary and the Story of Jesus — was the first Christmas gift they ever received.