This Week: Americans Take Part in Making Christmas a Reality for 12 Million Children in Need
Nov. 14 – 21: National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child
BOONE, N.C., Nov. 14, 2016 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Hundreds of thousands of donors across the U.S. 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.
Nov. 14 – 21, Americans will transform 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.
"This week volunteers nationwide are focused on making a difference in the lives of children facing difficult circumstances," said Randy Riddle, domestic director for Operation Christmas Child. "There is no joy quite like that of giving, and it is an honor to use our resources to let children around the world know they are loved and not forgotten."
More than 150,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups are linking arms across the country to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2016, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 12 million children. Across the U.S., more than 4,500 sites will serve as drop-off locations for shoebox gift donations.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, visit
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. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. 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.
