As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks for their blessings and sharing those blessings with children in need by packing shoeboxes with Operation Christmas Child.
Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with toys, personal care items and school supplies may be dropped off during National Collection Week, which runs now through Monday. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open.
Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for three decades. In 2023, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. This season, there’s still time for individuals, families and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver them to children in need. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.
“This season, children around the world need a tangible reminder that there is hope and that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse.
Participants can use the online lookup tool to find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. It is searchable by city or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop off.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 209 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.
