Students at a school in Haiti are excited to open their Box of Joy gifts.
For many children, receiving beautifully wrapped gifts on Christmas brings incomparable joy. Sadly, some boys and girls never get to experience that reality — especially when their parents must prioritize meals and necessities over gifts.
Every child deserves that special feeling of receiving a present, purchased and packaged just for them.
Your gift today will bring smiles to the faces of children and their parents in developing countries like Haiti, Peru, Malawi, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. Each Box of Joy is filled with toys, school supplies, clothing, a rosary and The Story of Jesus.
A Box of Joy gift fills children with hope and happiness and shows them that someone far away cares about them. As the children play and share their toys, it inspires generosity and kindness within their hearts and kindles an awareness of God’s love.
You can help demonstrate Christ’s compassion to a child who may never have received a Christmas gift — or any gift — before.
It only costs $36 to send one Box of Joy gift, and $180 will send five boxes. Help share God’s love and bring joy to a child in need — give a Box of Joy today!
*Box of Joy is a ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach.
Share Christ’s hope by blessing a child with a Box of Joy gift!
In Guatemala, two of our ministry partners are the Diocese of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu and the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima. Cross Catholic Outreach supports these dioceses with funding for several community-transforming projects.
Very often, children from impoverished families know what it’s like to go hungry or miss out on school because their parents can’t afford to send them. When Christmas comes around, they don’t typically expect gifts. The Box of Joy ministry exists to share the light of Christ and the joy of Christmas with these children.
Partner Since 2019
Cross Catholic Outreach partners with the Diocese of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu to support initiatives for safe housing, food, education, microenterprise, agriculture, water and health.
Impoverished families are finding hope as the diocese, supported by friends of Cross Catholic Outreach, helps ease their suffering and empowers them to overcome generational poverty.
Last year, our generous supporters enabled the Diocese of Suchitepéquez Retalhuleu to bless 8,300 impoverished children with Box of Joy gifts.
Your generosity will help empower the Box of Joy ministry worldwide. Here are a few of the other trusted partners your gift will support.
Haiti
In Haiti, nearly 60% of the country’s population lives below the poverty line. For generations, many Haitians have fought to survive without access to adequate food, water, shelter, healthcare and financial opportunities.
The Kobonal Haiti Mission and Cross Catholic Outreach work to transform lives and communities in Haiti by sharing the light of Christ. With the support of U.S. Catholics, we provide nutritious food, clean water, safe homes, medical care, education, spiritual formation and hope.
The Box of Joy ministry not only brings hope to Haiti’s impoverished communities, but it also gives children an opportunity to just be children. During Box of Joy distributions, the children experience opening a present — some for the first time. They laugh and share with their friends, knowing that someone far away cares about them.
Malawi
Malawi’s deep poverty gives poor families few chances to move forward. They live in survival mode with little hope of escape.
Cross Catholic Outreach and the Diocese of Karonga work together to make a positive spiritual and material impact on families and communities in Malawi. By supporting projects for clean water, nutritious food, safe housing, health services and spiritual guidance, generous Catholics are giving families in Malawi hope.
Box of Joy also brings hope and happiness to Malawi’s children. At Chankholombe Catholic Primary School, some of the students’ favorite items are sunglasses, water bottles, dolls and toy trucks.
Dominican Republic
In the Dominican Republic, many people live on less than $5.50 a day. The poorest families live in makeshift homes and lack access to clean water. The natural disasters that the island is prone to, such as droughts, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and landslides, make life even harder for the poor in rural areas.
For the children, the Box of Joy ministry represents a break from their harsh reality and makes them smile. When Shanaya, a student at the Colegio Enriquillo, received a Box of Joy gift, she was excited. “I didn’t expect it — I was surprised.” She thanked the people in the United States for her special gift. Shanaya said, “Thank you for sending me this box. When you open a box and it’s full of things you like, that’s exciting for a child.”
Thanks to Catholics like you, 134,159 children received a Box of Joy gift during the 2025 Christmas season. This good work was made possible by 1,112 U.S. organizations that participated — including 161 schools, 474 parishes and 477 groups. The gifts were distributed by our ministry partners in the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Malawi and Peru. Box of Joy puts smiles on the faces of poor children around the world.
All-Time Impact:
Since Cross Catholic Outreach launched the Box of Joy ministry in 2014, a total of 915,889 Box of Joy gifts have blessed children in developing countries worldwide.
A United Front:
1,112 Catholic groups, schools and parishes participated.
Integral Human Development:
Your generosity has filled children’s lives with the light of Christ! These boys and girls feel truly valued and remembered — both by you and our loving Lord.
Use it for reflections and notes to grow in your spiritual life. You’ll also receive a prayer request form to mail back so that we can pray for your needs. In effect, this creates a spiritual bridge to connect you to our sisters and brothers in Christ in the developing world!
Cross Mission Partners also receive a semiannual Mission Update with news, insights and information about the good work and accomplishments made possible by your support.
Every dollar helps us bless the least of our brothers and sisters throughout Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Mexico & Central America and South America.
Thank You for Your Special Commitment to Serving the Poor!
It’s easy to shop through the Cross Catholic Outreach Project Catalog. Simply browse the categories and choose an item within your budget and close to your heart, such as Anti-Trafficking and Girls’ Rescue or Most Urgent Needs. Select and sponsor one or more of these gifts, and you’ll make a meaningful impact on the life of a needy child or family. It’s that simple!
Absolutely! Once you select your items, you’ll be given the option of sending an e-card or printing a customizable certificate. This is a meaningful way to share Christ’s love with others while also honoring friends and family.
We are a Catholic ministry that partners with bishops, priests, religious and lay workers to provide Food, Water & Health, Housing, Kids & Education, Women & Girls, Disaster Relief, Farming & Loans opportunities and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ to the poor and vulnerable in over 30 countries around the world.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
