Your shoes may be worn out, but your shoe boxes could have thousands of miles to go. If you will fill a shoe box with gifts and bring it to an Operation Christmas Child Drop-off Center near you, we will make sure that it gets to a special boy or girl somewhere in the world who may have never received a Gift in their life. The gift is sent with love and given in the name of Jesus. Since 1993, 77 million shoe box gifts have been given to children in more than 130 countries.

“The giving of a shoe box gift not only changes the life of one child but has a ripple effect that touches family members, friends and even entire villages,” said Virginia Cook, OCC Volunteer for SouthEast Ohio. “The gift is given with love and in the name of Jesus. Each child receives a booklet called “The Greatest Gift of All” telling of the Gospel in his own language. The Joy of giving is wonderful but the impact of receiving can be eternal. Brighten your life by giving joy to a child.”

Last year, folks just like you packed 8.2 million simple gifts for children who are surviving in the most desperate of circumstances. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse and it headed by Franklin Graham.

All you have to do to brighten the life of a child is to use a shoe box and pack it with small gifts such as tablets, pencils, pencil sharpeners, crayons, small toys, games, hard candy or hats/shirts. A child will be blessed! To find out more go online at www.samaritanspurse.org and find out how to Pack a Shoe Box Gift.

National Collection Week is November 15-22. More than 2,300 churches will volunteer to collect shoe box gifts from area residents. The SouthEast Ohio Area Team has 3 locations in Lawrence County for your convenience that will be open for you!