One of the best things about this time of year is that, no matter your passion, there’s a group or organization doing some good for that very thing.

This week (November 18-25) is National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child. Individuals, families and groups have the opportunity to pack a shoebox gift filled with fun toys, school supplies, and personal care items and donate them at one of more than 4,700 drop-off locations open around the country, including several right here in the Juniata River Valley.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for more than three decades. In 2024, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 12 million children.

Find a step-by-step guide on how you can help on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.

We have a graphic below with some local drop-off sites but you can also go here to find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks 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 220 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

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