Operation Christmas Child program gives to children worldwide

More than 4,000 locations, including a location in Perry, recently offered a curbside dropoff option for the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child, but donations can continue to be made.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts—filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys—to children worldwide for more than two decades.

This is a project that everyone can still be a part of, even with COVID-19 restrictions.

There’s still time for individuals, families, and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts.

If you were unable to donate a shoebox to the location in Perry, there is still time to build a shoebox online to donate.

The Operation Christmas Child program can pack a box for you based on gift selections you make.

Many of these shoeboxes are delivered to hard-to-reach areas to share the ‘Good News’ in a culturally sensitive way.

The project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these ‘tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need.’

Those interested can find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to ‘demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.’

Every year since its beginning, Samaritan’s Purse program has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children around the world.

More than 188 million children in more than 170 countries and territories ‘have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.’

As the Samaritan’s Purse website states, “The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever, but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love.”

Toy-filled shoeboxes will once again be bringing joy to children around the world because of the generosity and selfless efforts by people in the Perry and surrounding areas.

This year, like last year, Perry’s First Baptist Church acted as a drop off location for donations to this program.

Those interested in more information on how Operation Christmas Child is making adjustments during its National Collection Week can visit the organization’s Important COVID-19 Updates webpage for the latest information and answers to Frequently Asked Questions.