Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 17 – 24. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations in Virginia.
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. Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach another 12 million children in 2025 with the hope of Jesus.
Shoebox packing is fun for individuals, families and groups! Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage. The project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love 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,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “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 is searchable by City or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop-off.
Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks 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 232 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.
Local drop-off locations for Operation Christmas Child:
Stuart — Minnie’s Chapel
161 Minnie’s Chapel Loop, Stuart, VA 24171
Nov. 17–21, 6–8 p.m.
Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–noon
Nov. 23, 1–4 p.m.
Nov. 24, 8–10 a.m.
Stuart — Nettle Ridge Church
70 Nettle Ridge Loop, Stuart, VA 24171
Nov. 17–18, 5–7 p.m.
Nov. 19, 7–9 p.m.
Nov. 20–21, 5–7 p.m.
Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–noon
Nov. 23, 1–5 p.m.
Nov. 24, 8–10 a.m.
Meadows of Dan — Meadows of Dan Baptist Church
2511 Jeb Stuart Highway, Meadows of Dan, VA 24120
Nov. 17–19, 2–4 p.m.
Nov. 20–21, 5–7 p.m.
Nov. 22, 10 a.m.–noon
Nov. 23, 1–3 p.m.
Nov. 24, 9–11 a.m.
Woolwine — Woolwine Methodist Church
10205 Woolwine Highway, Woolwine, VA 24185
Nov. 17–21, 5–7 p.m.
Nov. 22, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Nov. 23, 5–7 p.m.
Nov. 24, 10 a.m.–noon
For more drop-off locations, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.
For information on how to pack a shoebox, visit samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box.
