Tickton-based Real Aid, which has shops across the East Riding, is planning to deliver thousands of gift boxes to impoverished children in west Africa and eastern Europe.
Last year, the charity delivered more than 4,000 Christmas boxes thanks to kind-hearted donors across East Yorkshire.
The charity are hoping to send even more gift boxes this year with the help of local schools, churches, groups and residents.
Barbara Raine, the charity’s chief executive officer, said: “We always try to send more boxes each year, the more we send the more children we can make happy.
“We are a giving nation of people, especially in this area. People are very kind and very giving.”
Mrs Raine has first-hand experience of delivering gift boxes to children in Sierra Leone, west Africa, and she found it a very humbling experience.
She said: “It’s the only gift some children ever get and sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming for them, they don’t realise it’s theirs to keep, so they look at it and then hand it back.
“These simple gifts are beyond their wildest dreams, it’s very humbling.”
Real Aid is hoping more schools than ever before will back the annual appeal, which includes a Christmas card competition this year.
Two winning designs – one from a primary and one from a secondary school – will be used for the charity’s Christmas card for 2011.
Christmas gift boxes, which should be marked “girl” or “boy” together with an age, can now be handed into the charity’s shops in Beverley, Bridlington, Hornsea, Driffield, Hessle or the head office at Hull Bridge, Tickton, by November 26.
Gift boxes can also be handed in at St Stephen’s shopping centre in Hull, at the ground floor management office next to Argos.
If possible, a donation of £1 or £2, taped under the lid of the box, would assist with transportation costs.
Anyone preferring to make a donation can do so by logging onto the web site.
Bulk donations of gift boxes will be collected by the charity – ring 01482 880660.
Above: Contents of a gift box of boys, balls are very popular gifts for both boys & girls
Above: Boxes arrive at the warehouse in Tickton ready to be checked and shipped world wide
