Operation Christmas Child drop-off sites open

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks and giving back — to children in need around the world through Operation Christmas Child.

Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with toys, hygiene items and school supplies may be dropped off now during National Collection Week, Nov. 14-21. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open. The Samaritan’s Purse project will collect its 200-millionth shoebox this year.

Participants can find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation online at www.samaritanspurse.org/ as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. Signs at each location will identify the drop off. The drop-off location in Whitefish is at Christ Lutheran Church (5150 River Lakes Parkway).

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for nearly three decades. In 2022, 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 project of Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love 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. “Through these shoebox gifts packed with special items, children also receive the opportunity to hear about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ.”

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 198 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.