Operation Christmas Child volunteers ready for National Collection Week Nov. 17–24

Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 17-24. More than 4,700 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations nearest them.

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.

The project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these 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.

“Children need hope, and they need to know that they are not alone and God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Gift-filled shoeboxes open the door for us to share the hope of the Gospel with boys and girls around the world. Please pray that these simple gifts have an eternal impact.”

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. Since 1993 Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 220 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

For local information call Brian and Alicia Zaugg, Ohio East Area coordinators, at 330-231-7672 to learn more about how God can use a gift-filled shoebox given in Jesus' name to transform a child, their family and their community. For information on how to pack a shoebox, visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.

The drop-off location in Coshocton is at Roscoe United Methodist Church, 475 High St., Coshocton. Call Mike and Malinda Baker at 740-502-0227 for information. Hours are Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday from 1-4 p.m., Thursday from 4-6 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

Churches may purchase shoeboxes by calling Esther Troyer at 330-204-1502. If packing as a family or individual, rather than a church, pick up shoeboxes at any of the following locations:

—Baltic: Baltic Meats.

—Becks Mill: General Store.

—Berlin: Gospel Bookstore.

—Bolivar: Wendy's.

—Charm: Charm Pizza.

—Coshocton: Coshocton Library, Jillian’s Salon, Coshocton Coffee Connection, Z-Nails, Sensational Styles and Friends of the Library Bookstore.

—Dover: Dover Public Library, Yoders Hometown Market, Mission Café and Wendy's.

—Farmerstown: Farmerstown General Store and Farmerstown Shoe & Gift.

—Mt. Eaton: Red Tomato Market.

—New Bedford: Country Store.

—New Philadelphia: Daily Grind, Millers Creamery, Wendy's and Tuscarawas County Library.

—Newcomerstown: Reisbeck Grocery Store and Wendy's.

—Sugarcreek: Reisbeck Grocery Store and Sunrise Market & Café.