The Foursquare Gospel Church in Bradford will serve as a drop-off location for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child — the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.
During National Collection Week, Nov. 14-21, Bradford residents will donate shoeboxes — filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and fun toys, such as a doll or soccer ball — for Operation Christmas Child to deliver to children in need around the world. This year, the hope is northwestern Pennsylvania residents will contribute 51,500 shoebox gifts toward the 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children.
“The shoebox gifts donated by Bradford volunteers will serve as tangible expressions of God’s love to children living in poverty overseas,” said Jim Schriefer, Northwestern Pennsylvania Operation Christmas Child Network coordinator. “Anyone is welcome to pack a shoebox and help a child facing difficult circumstances feel loved and not forgotten.”
Operating hours will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 14-17; 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 18 and 20; noon to 7 p.m. Nov. 19; and 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 21.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 814-823-2574 or visit the website samaritanspurse.org/occ. By going online to give the suggested donation of $7 per shoebox gift, participants can follow their box to discover where in the world it will be delivered. They can also pack a shoebox gift online and even upload a photo and note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham.
