Operation Christmas Child collection week this week

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization headed by Franklin Graham and it’s the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.

The unique shoe box project addresses the needs of children in desperate situations. It’s a project that uses simple gift-filled shoe boxes to let hurting children know that they’re loved and not forgotten.

For many of these children, the simple shoe box will be the first gift they have ever received. Kids and families pack empty shoe boxes or plastic shoe boxes with simple items most people take for granted, including toothbrush, toys and school supplies. It’s a project kids, families, schools, churches, and community groups can participate in.

Grand Avenue United Methodist Church, located at 776 W. Grand Ave in Porterville, will once again be the Drop Off Location for all packed shoe boxes in the Porterville and surrounding area. This year the drop off will take place outside the church’s Fellowship Hall using a curbside/drivethrough format. Shoe boxes can be dropped off at the church during the National Collection Week from November 15 – 22. The drop off hours are:

today-november 20: Noon to 4 p.m.; November 21: Noon to 3 p.m.; November 22: 8 to 10 a.m.

This is a time for people to come together as we reach out to change the world one heart at a time. The shoe boxes from the West Coast Region (California, Nevada, Hawaii ) will be distributed to Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines and Native American tribes in the U.S.

For further information call Kathy Chavez, Coordinator, or Diana Perry, Co-coordinator at 559-781-4851 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.