Operation Christmas Child serves children in need
CHICO » The Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child project has commenced at Calvary Chapel Chico.
Christian school Hope Academy, which is located in the church, will have students loading the shoeboxes onto trucks during collection week in November.
The shoeboxes are filled with toys such as soccer balls, school supplies and personal hygiene items and are shipped off to children in need all around the world.
Jodi George, principal of Hope Academy, is very proud to see her students participate in the project.
“I love seeing them all work together,” said George. “I’m so proud of them. This has an impact on the whole community.”
Operation Christmas Child started in 1993. In 2022, the project members set a goal of acquiring enough shoebox gifts to distribute to 11 million children in need, according to a press release.
During National Collection Week, which occurs Nov. 14 through 21, Samaritan’s Purse will collect shoeboxes at nearly 5,000 drop-off locations all over the United States and in Puerto Rico.
Alana Pitcher, a seventh grade Hope Academy student, is helping out this year with the boxes.
“The goal is for each child to know Jesus,” Pitcher said. “We want them to know Jesus loves them and has a plan for them.”
Sophia Jones, who is in sixth grade at Hope Academy, also thinks it is important to spread Jesus’ word.
“We are teaching how to serve God and let people know about God,” Jones said.
Locally, Operation Christmas Child has been stacking up gifts since 1996. In 2021, volunteers from Butte, Glenn, Sutter and Tehama counties collected over 6,000 shoeboxes. The 2022 Chico area goal is 6,500 shoebox presents.
One of the collection centers is at Calvary Chapel Chico, located at 1888 Springfield Drive, and the other drop off locations and collection centers can be found online at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
Church members help pack the boxes.
Items that are prohibited from being sent out are candy, toothpaste, knives, toy guns, military figures, used or damaged items, seeds, liquids, lotions, chocolate or other foods, medications, vitamins, fragile items such as snow globes or glass containers and aerosol cans.
Participants who prefer to shop online can visit samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to choose presents with a child’s specific age and gender, then finish “packing up” the virtual shoebox by adding a picture and a personal note. Ten dollars can be donated online through Follow Your Box and a contributor receives a tracking label to find out exactly where the gift is going.
Steve Snow, area coordinator, is also very proud of the project.
“We are helping in Jesus’ name,” Snow said. “These gifts are sent to the farthest corners of the earth so we can spread Jesus’ word.”