WILLIAMSBURG — With the Thanksgiving season approaching, Operation Christmas Child is calling on families and children to give thanks for their blessings by packing shoeboxes and sharing them with children in need.
Shoebox gifts prepared by donors and filled with toys, personal care items, and school supplies may be dropped off now — National Collection Week — Nov. 13-20.
Operation Christmas Child is spearheaded by Samaritan’s Purse, which is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world, according to its website. Through Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches globally to help children in need. Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for three decades.
In 2023, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children, it said, and there’s still time for individuals, families, and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.
In Williamsburg, participants can drop off items at Smith Memorial Baptist Church on Richmond Road. There is also an online lookup tool to find the nearest drop-off location and hours in nearby cities.
“This season, children around the world need a tangible reminder that there is hope and that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Through these shoebox gifts packed with special items, children also receive the opportunity to hear about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ.”
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 209 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.
