From Your Hands to Their Hearts: Box of Joy Shares Christ's Compassion Across the Globe

Cross Catholic Outreach invites your participation in filling a Box of Joy for a child in need this Christmas.

Box of Joy, a ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach, is entering its second decade of sending gifts to some of the world’s poorest children during Christmastime. Its mission is to spread the joy of the season and the love of Jesus.

“The generosity of Americans participating in Box of Joy year after year never ceases to amaze me,” said Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach. “The love of Jesus is the best gift you can give someone, and children experience that love when they open their Box of Joy gifts. We look forward to relying on the faithful generosity of Catholic parishes, schools and families across the U.S. to continue blessing children with a Box of Joy.”

A Testament to Faith in Action

Box of Joy began in 2014, serving just under 3,000 children. Since then, 781,730 Box of Joy gifts have been sent to children in need: a testament to faith in action, growing every year.

“I am humbled every year to lead such a beautiful and generous effort as is demonstrated by the Box of Joy ministry,” said Sagarino. “Seeing the joy that radiates not only from the children who receive the boxes but from the thousands of volunteers who pack, ship, and sort the gifts is so beautiful.”

Last year, more than 135,000 Box of Joy gifts were sent to children in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, El Salvador, Haiti, Peru, Honduras, and Malawi. These gifts came from generous Catholics who participated by packing Box of Joy gifts in 500 parishes, nearly 200 schools and almost 500 different groups. This year, Cross Catholic Outreach hopes to send donated Box of Joy gifts to children in these same countries.

Each Box of Joy Includes a Rosary

“Box of Joy is a real opportunity to affect the life of a child forever,” said Sagarino. “One small boy in the Dominican Republic received a Box of Joy in 2023 that had not only his favorite toys but a rosary and The Story of Jesus in his native language. He now prays the Rosary daily and includes in his prayers the names of the family who sent him that box. The generosity exhibited by the thousands of Americans who have participated in Box of Joy is a true testament to the love of Christ in action.”

Last year, Sagarino and Cross Catholic Outreach Co-Founder and CEO Jim Cavnar shared with Pope Francis the mission of this ministry and presented him with his own Box of Joy.

How to Participate with Your Family, Parish, or School

Groups nationwide participate every year by packing shoebox-sized boxes with small gifts such as toys and school supplies, and other treasured items such as a few treats, including hard candy, a hairbrush, and coloring books. The ministry adds a rosary and The Story of Jesus to every box to remind children why Christmas is so special, and participants donate $9 to cover international shipment. There is also a “donate a Box of Joy online” option for those too busy to pack a Box of Joy. A donation of $36 covers the cost of the gifts and shipping; Cross Catholic Outreach’s Team Joy volunteers will shop for the gifts and pack and ship the boxes themselves.

The 2025 Box of Joy campaign kicks off in August, and groups deliver gifts to a network of hundreds of local Drop-Off Centers during Box of Joy Week, which is Oct. 25 through Nov. 2.

To learn more about how to engage students, parishioners, or group members in reaching needy children through Box of Joy, please visit BoxofJoy.org.

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Copyright 2025 Cross Catholic Outreach
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About Cross Catholic Outreach — CrossCatholic.org

Based in Florida, Cross Catholic Outreach is an official Catholic nonprofit 501(c)(3) relief and development ministry that, since its founding in 2001, has provided more than $4.8 billion in aid to help the poorest of the poor in more than 90 developing countries. In addition to providing material aid such as food, medicine and shelter, Cross Catholic Outreach supports ongoing programs in partnership with local Catholic priests, sisters and missionaries to meet other critical needs. It is recognized among Forbes’ Top 100 U.S. Charities and earned Candid’s 2025 Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information, visit CrossCatholic.org or call 800-914-2420.