GREENVILLE – This month, sites in the Greenville area will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child's National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19.
Greenville families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan's Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.
This year, Greenville-area residents hope to collect more than 43,000 gifts to contribute to the 2018 global goal of reaching 11 million children.
For drop-off locations, visit the drop-off locator online at www.samaritanspurse.org.
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 937-374-0761 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through "Follow Your Box" and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child's specific age and gender then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.