‘Operation Christmas Child’

This month, sites in the Minneota 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. 18-25.

Minneota families, churches and groups 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 tangible expressions of God’s love 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, Minneota-area residents hope to collect more than 10,870 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 630-474-9478, 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