Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week is underway, and there is still time for west-central Pennsylvania residents to bring joy to the lives of children around the world.
The world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child, uses gift-filled shoeboxes to show God’s love to children affected by war, poverty, disaster, famine and disease.
Shoeboxes are packed for boys and girls in three age groups (2-4, 5-9 and 10-14), and share gifts like clothing, accessories, non-liquid personal hygiene items, school supplies and toys.
The ministry encourages individuals to include a “wow” item like a deflated soccer ball with a pump, baby doll, toy truck, musical instruments and stuffed animals.
Individuals may also include personal notes of encouragement and photographs. Samaritan’s Purse requests a $9 donation to ship and process each shoebox.
Shoeboxes should not include used or damaged items; war-related toys; candy or other food items; aerosols; toothpaste, lotions or liquids; medicine or vitamins; sharp objects; and fragile items.
Individuals can learn how to pack a shoebox, view other gift suggestions, get a “Follow Your Box” label and find the nearest drop-off location at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Shoeboxes will be collected at local drop-off locations through Nov. 25, then will be delivered to eight processing centers. Operation Christmas Child collected more than 8.8 million shoeboxes in the United States in 2018.
Combined with others collected in partnering countries, it sent more than 10.6 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 100 countries last year.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 168 million shoeboxes to children in over 160 countries and territories.
In 2019, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 11 million children in countries like Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda and Ukraine.
In addition to its ongoing outreach to more than 100 countries, the ministry plans to deliver shoebox gifts to more than a half-million children on 1,000 Pacific Islands over the next few years.
Delivered into the hands of children through local churches, every shoebox gift is an opportunity to share about Jesus Christ and God’s love.
Since 2010, more than 14 million children who have received a shoebox gift have participated in The Greatest Journey—a 12-lesson discipleship program.
Shoebox gifts are collected in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Spain, New Zealand and Japan.
Nearly 500,000 volunteers worldwide — with more than 150,000 of those in the United States — are involved in collecting, shipping and distributing shoebox gifts.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization, that’s headed by Christian evangelist and missionary Franklin Graham.
Local Drop-off Locations
First Baptist Church of Curwensville
1227 Susquehanna Avenue Ext., Curwensville
- Thu, Nov. 21: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Thu, Nov. 21: 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Temple Baptist Church
590 Lincoln Dr., DuBois
- Thu, Nov. 21: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 6 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Punxsutawney First Church of God
23 Skyview Dr., Punxsutawney
- Thu, Nov. 21: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Brookville Church of God
201 Freedom Ln., Brookville
- Thu, Nov. 21: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Summit Church
2707 W. Pike Rd., Indiana
- Thu, Nov. 21: 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Purchase Line United Methodist Church
17107 Route 286 Highway E, Commodore
- Thu, Nov. 21: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Fri, Nov. 22: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
- Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Sun, Nov. 24: 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Mon, Nov. 25: 7:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
