Teen raises over $400 for Operation Christmas Child
CHICO » Peach Mattley, 14, started building shoeboxes last year for Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child is a project by Samaritan’s Purse created to help children in need. Participants fill shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items and school supplies then drop the shoe boxes off at a local drop off location during National Collection Week.
This year, Peach decided to raise $400 to be able to make 20 shoe boxes for 20 children. She got the idea after watching videos of people handing out the shoe boxes.
“I want the kids in different cities that are not fortunate to get Christmas, to have Christmas,” Peach said.
In order to reach her goal of raising $400, Peach decided to bake and sell 40 dozen cookies. She has seen a lot of support from family, friends and neighbors.
Peach has been able to raise more than $400 and is in the process of getting the supplies to fill the shoe boxes. She will be dropping the boxes off during National Collection Week, which is Nov. 15-22.
There are seven drop off locations in the north valley:
• Chico: Calvary Chapel, 1888 Springfield Drive
• Paradise: First Baptist Church, 6500 Clark Road
• Oroville: Grace Baptist Church, 3646 Oro Dam Blvd.
• Gridley: First Baptist Church, 100 Vermont St.
• Willows: Open Gate Christian Fellowship, 950 Laurel St.
• Williams: Williams Community Church, 315 Ninth St.
• Yuba City: Cooper Avenue Baptist Church, 804 Cooper Ave.
Peach hopes that she will be able to help pack the shoe boxes this year, once they’re all collected.