A longstanding holiday giving opportunity resumes as national non-profit Samaritan’s Purse accepts shoeboxes full of gifts and essentials to brighten Christmas time for children in need overseas through Monday, Nov. 25.
Approximately 5,000 drop-off locations throughout the United States maintain regular hours of operation for National Collection Week.
Locally, shoe boxes are accepted at Calvary Baptist Church, 1140 Rush Avenue, Bellefontaine. Hours for this week are: 6 to 8 p.m. today and Wednesday, Nov. 20, Thursday, Nov. 21, and Friday, Nov. 22; 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 23; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24; and 8 to 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 25.
This year, Bellefontaine-area residents hope to collect more than 21,000 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.
“I love seeing the local community rally together for a global impact,” Regional Director David Zimmerman said. “We see all ages getting involved –and more and more every year.”
Other area drop-off sites include: First Christian Church, 113 Orange St., Urbana; Sidney Baptist Church, 1322 E. Court St., Sidney; Marysville Grace, 17240 Amrine Wood, Marysville; and First Baptist Church, 11543 County Road 175, Kenton.
Sites also can be located online at www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/drop-off-locations, following with suggested items to pack.
Operation Christmas Child is designed to ensure underprivileged children receive the Christmas they deserve through the donation of gifts, learning and developmental toys and personal hygiene items.
Participants are invited to pick a gender and age group for their shoe box — boys, or girls ages 2-4; 5-9; or 10-14 — and fill the shoe box with a range of toys and personal effects, along with a personal greeting for the child.
Samartian’s Purse asks that the following items should not be included for safety or shipping concerns: candy; toothpaste; gum; used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures; chocolate or food; seeds; fruit rolls or other fruit snacks; drink mixes (powdered or liquid); liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
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 168 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.