Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts

November 14 -21 is National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts

Tens of thousands of U.S. residents are on a mission to make a lasting impact on children in need.

They are looking beyond their own wish lists and packing shoeboxes for boys and girls around the world — for many of the children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.

November 14-21, caring people around the country will transform 9.5 million empty shoeboxes into gifts of hope filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement, and fun toys, such as a doll or soccer ball.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, will deliver these shoebox gifts to children overseas living in extreme poverty or affected by war, disease and natural disaster.

Locally, items can be dropped off at City Calvary Chapel in Shoreline, 152211 15th Ave NE. Open 12-2 weekdays, 12-4, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 1-800-353-5949 or visit the website. 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. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories.