News release
Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 17-24. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations — including several in the Santa Clarita Valley — will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations in California.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster, according to a news release from the nonprofit. Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach another 12 million children in 2025.
You can find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage at tinyurl.com/4nh2mkm3. The project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver the gifts to children in need. Participants can donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.
“Samaritan’s Purse works around the world to help people in need, but it’s not about good works — it’s about the Gospel,” Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, said in the release. “Please prayerfully consider packing a shoebox this year with Operation Christmas Child. These simple gifts open the door for us to share the true meaning of Christmas.”
Participants can find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. The online lookup tool at tinyurl.com/3eau7xsd is searchable by city or ZIP code, and includes the hours each location is accepting donations.
SCV locations accepting donations include Valencia Hills Community Church, The Sanctuary Church and Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship.
