The country’s largest school fundraiser has launched

This year, the Smileys collection is being organized for the ninth time, during which in previous years a total of 80 thousand gift packages were put together for elementary school children in need. The Charity Service delivers the toys, sweets, and gifts with personal messages packed in shoeboxes to children from families in difficult situations before the holiday. All elementary schools in the country can join the campaign, and the collection can also be supported with cash via the adomanyozz.hu website.

The organizers of the campaign, PontVelem Okos Program, the Maltese Charity Service and GLS Hungary, are publishing an appeal in all elementary schools in the country, inviting students to give gifts to children in difficult situations and put a smile on their faces at Christmas. The gift package can be delivered to their school between November 11 and December 11, where teachers participating in the collection (or parents helping them) only have to register on the pontvelem.hu website to indicate that there is a donation ready for delivery at the school. GLS Hungary will take the packages to the warehouses of the Maltese Charity Service, and the organization will deliver them to children in need before Christmas.

The name of the campaign, Christmas Smile Elves, was chosen by the organizers nine years ago because it reflects the dual purpose of the campaign: the gifts bring joy to children from difficult families, and the children who give gifts can experience the joy of selfless help. The organizers also address parents and encourage them to make preparing the gift a joint activity, during which they talk about what it means to help and to turn to others with caring attention. Children who do not have a unified collection point in their institution can also join the campaign. They should contact the Maltese collection point closest to them so that every child who wants to help can do so.