National Collection Week kicks off for Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts

Operation Christmas Child is again back through Samaritan’s Purse to give gifts to children in need this Christmas season. National Collection Week runs through to Monday, Nov. 25, when individuals, families and groups have the opportunity to pack shoebox gifts with toys, school supplies and personal care items to drop them off at one of the drop-off locations.

In 2024, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 12 million children. The project of Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need, according to a news release. There is a step-by-step guide to creating a shoebox on the Samaritan’s Purse website.

“Samaritan’s Purse is committed to taking the Gospel to hard-to-reach places — whether its responding to a disaster or sharing God’s love through the power of a simple shoebox,” Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, said in the news release. “You can show kids in need the true meaning of Christmas this year through a shoebox gift. Please prayerfully consider packing a shoebox this year.”

There are more than 4,700 drop-off locations are open around the country. Participants may use the online lookup tool to find the nearest drop-off location and operation hours as they plan to drop off shoebox gifts. It is searchable by city or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop-off.

Below are the current drop-off locations within 25 miles of Cape Girardeau:

• First Baptist Church, 326 S. High St. in Jackson
• Fruitland Community Church, 6040 U.S. 61

• Charleston Baptist Association, 4855 Highway 77 in Benton
• Hahn Chapel General Baptist Church, at Highway 34 E in Marble Hill
• Advance First Baptist Church, 408 N. Oak St. in Advance
• First Baptist Church, 200 S. Walker St. in Cobden, Illinois

For more information, call (615) 962-7145 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. Those who prefer online shopping may browse www.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.