Operation Christmas Child donations accepted thru Nov. 20

As Thanksgiving approaches, many families and children are giving thanks for all their blessings and sharing those blessings with children in need by packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with toys, personal care items and school supplies may be dropped off through Monday, Nov. 20. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open.

Local sites include Long Neck Methodist Church, 32051 Long Neck Road, Millsboro, 302-945-9453; and Crossroad Community Church, 20684 State Forest Road, Georgetown, 302-629-0111. To search drop-off locations by ZIP code, go to samaritanspurse.org.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for 30 years. In 2023, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. This season, there’s still time for individuals, families and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts. 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. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage at samaritanspurse.org.

“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.”