Volunteers in locations across the state are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week which runs from November 16 to the 23. Nearly 5,000 drop off locations will open across the country.
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 12.8 million children in 2026 with the hope of Jesus.
Area drop off locations include the Broken Bow Evangelical Free Church, the Ord Evangelical Free Church, and the Cornerstone Bible Church in Gothenburg. Each location has daily hours through the stretch of time from November 16 to the 23.
The organization encourages packing shoeboxes together in groups with family or friends, and provides an online ‘how to pack a shoebox‘ webpage that encourages toys, school supplies, and personal care items. A $10 per shoebox gift donated online through the ‘follow your box’ feature will give you a tracking label to discover its destination.
“Shoebox gifts may seem simple, but they have an eternal impact. Each box is an opportunity to tell a boy or girl in need about the true meaning of Christmas,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “I’ve delivered these boxes around the world, and I never get tired of seeing the joy that they bring—even in the midst of disasters, war, and poverty.”
