BOONE, N.C., Nov. 1, 2017 — This month, nearly 5,000 U.S. locations will serve as drop-off sites for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child—collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world.
During the project’s National Collection Week, Nov. 13 – 20, anyone can transform empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver these shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.
More than 100,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups are linking arms across the country to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2017, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 12 million children, with 9.6 million coming from the United States.
“The shoebox gifts donated throughout the country at these drop-off locations will shine a light of hope to children living in poverty overseas,” said Randy Riddle, senior director of Operation Christmas Child in the United States. “Anyone is welcome to pack a shoebox and help a child facing difficult circumstances to feel loved and not forgotten.”
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, call 1-800-353-5949 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
MEDIA NOTE: For complete media materials and high-resolution, downloadable photos, visit samaritanspurse.org/occnewsroom. Email occmedia@samaritan.org for local drop-off location details or for interview opportunities.