Drop-off sites identified for Operation Christmas Child
Several sites in the area will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19.
Families, churches and groups in Washington and Greene counties are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.
This year, the regional directors hopes to collect more than 18,854 gifts to contribute to the 2018 global goal of reaching 11 million children.
Photo by Paul Sherar
Photo by Paul Sherar
Shoebox distributions at a school in Romania
“We are honored to be linking arms with our community to help children around the world experience the true meaning of Christmas,” said Regional Director Bill Rumbaugh, “These simple gifts show God’s love to children facing difficult circumstances.”
Local collection sites:
- The Bible Chapel, 300 Gallery Drive, McMurray PA 15317-6600
- Crossroads Ministries, 81 Walter Long Road, Finleyville PA 15332-9667
- McDonald Presbyterian Church – Calvary Center, 202 W. Lincoln Avenue, McDonald PA 15057
- South Franklin Community Building, 100 Municipal Road, Washington PA 15301-9000
- First Church of the Nazarene, 115 Deerfield Lane, Waynesburg PA 15370-8210
For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 410-772-7360, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is 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 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.