Local drop-off locations for Operation Christmas Child will open in mid-November. National Collection Week, scheduled for November 16–23, invites community members to donate shoebox gifts packed with toys, school supplies, and personal care items for distribution to children in need across the globe.
Area residents can bring their donations to four drop-off sites: First Baptist Church in Batesville, First Baptist Church in Mountain View, Westside Baptist Church in Greers Ferry, and Jacksonport Baptist Church in Jacksonport. Additional locations, packing instructions, and drop-off schedules are available on the Samaritan’s Purse website at samaritanspurse.org.
The project, organized by the faith-based humanitarian relief group Samaritan’s Purse, has distributed more than 244 million shoeboxes worldwide since its inception in 1993. This year, it aims to reach 12.8 million children.
Volunteers at each drop-off site will facilitate the collection process, ensuring that donations are ready to be shipped to distribution centers and then delivered to recipients in countries around the globe.