DP Tips and Tricks

Based on their own experiences, Sponsors have offered the following advice to make shipping your package to your child as painless and inexpensive as possible:

Mail your gifts in a padded envelope instead of a box. It's less expensive, and (supposedly) less tempting to thieves. WalMart sells yellow padded envelopes in a variety of sizes, up to 14.5” x 19”. A lot of goodies can be stuffed into one of these envelopes, but be careful to keep your package under four pounds or you will have to pay for priority shipping (USPS).

Mark your packages as a gift and a charitable donation on the shipping paperwork, and attribute as low a value as possible to the items inside. This will theoretically discourage thieves and draw less attention in customs.

Don't shop in thrift stores! CI may not deliver used clothing to children. Here is an explanation from Debbie Spring, Senior Sponsor Services Representative:

“The reason the staff requests no used clothing is because we've received packages both here in KC and at the SOA's that is stained, torn, faded, sewn back together, unwashed, have bugs in the box, used undies, etc. - basically things that many people would not want their own children to wear, but feel that a child with limited clothing should be thankful to receive. And in theory, it does seem that a child with limited clothing would welcome ANY clothing item...but in reality, no child (poor or not) wants to wear clothing that is poor condition -- even if it's free. The majority of families we serve have a real sense of pride and want their children to look and feel their best - just like us. All of this being said, if you have clothing that has been worn once or twice, or is in excellent condition and looks, smells and feels new, I personally, don't think that anyone would be insulted to receive it. And would not raise any red flags with the staff or family, because most sponsors take the price tags off the clothes they send anyway.”