About OCC
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse that provides churches and ministries around the world with opportunities for evangelism and discipleship in order to reach children with the Gospel.
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
How it all Works
People in our community pack shoebox gifts each year to bless children in need around the world. Year-round volunteers, like the Adams County Area Team, support these efforts all across the country.
Churches and groups of all sizes collect donations and shoeboxes from their communities during the year. Some local churches also serve as drop-off locations for shoeboxes in the third week of November each year. Thousands of volunteers serve annually inspecting and preparing shoeboxes for international shipping.
Every shoebox gift also provides an opportunity for evangelism and discipleship. Local Christians around the world work to share the Gospel through an outreach event, inviting children to trust in Jesus. Then, boys and girls receive a surprise shoebox gift that may be the only present they ever receive. Each child also receives a copy of The Greatest Gift booklet in their language. This booklet about the gift of salvation is used in over 80 languages.
Many shoebox recipients participate in our follow-up discipleship program called The Greatest Journey. After completing the program, children attend a graduation celebration, receiving a certificate and Bible in their language.
By packing a shoebox, you can share the Good News of Jesus Christ with a child, their family and even their neighbors. It all starts with one small box–it all starts with you! We hope you’ll join us in what God is doing through Operation Christmas Child.
Facts & Statisics
Samaritan’s Purse began collecting shoebox gifts in 1993 in response to a request to fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in war-torn Bosnia.
Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham asked his friend the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte, North Carolina, to help with this request. Within weeks, the church had assembled 11,000 gift-filled shoeboxes. Combined with additional shoebox gifts from Canada, Samaritan’s Purse sent 28,000 shoebox gifts for children in Bosnia that Christmas.
Since 1993, more than 178 million children in over 160 countries and territories have received a shoebox gift.
Since 2009, more than 23 million shoebox recipients have participated in The Greatest Journey.
There are more than 15,000 year-round Connect volunteers worldwide—over 9,000 serving in the U.S. and nearly 6,000 overseas.
Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations receive shoeboxes during National Collection Week. Over 100,000 volunteers serve in the U.S. during National Collection Week and processing season.
In 2020, through Operation Christmas Child, Samaritan’s Purse plans to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach an additional 11 million boys and girls in more than 100 countries.
What Goes in a Shoebox?
Everything you need to know to pack a shoebox gift
How to Pack a Shoebox
- Since your shoebox gift may be the only gift the child ever receives, plan to pack durable, quality, and fun items that will last and bring a child joy.
- Begin with a medium-size cardboard or plastic shoebox.
- Choose to pack for a boy or girl and decide the age category: 2 to 4, 5 to 9, or 10 to 14.
- Select a quality “WOW” item such as a doll, soccer ball with pump, or stuffed animal. Fill with other fun toys, hygiene items, and school supplies.
- Personalize your shoebox gift with unique items, a photo of yourself or your family/group, and a note to the recipient.
- A donation of $9 is critical for the project to help cover collecting, shipping, and processing, as well as ministry partner training and materials, The Greatest Gift booklet, and other project costs. The best way to give is online via e-check, or debit or credit card. You can give online through Follow Your Box to receive a tracking label to affix to your shoeboxes and discover the destination of your shoebox gifts.
- Take your shoebox gifts to a local drop-off location during National Collection Week, the third week of November.
- You can also Build a Shoebox Online for a suggested donation of $25 per shoebox. Many of our shoebox gifts built online are delivered to hard-to-reach areas. In some parts of the world, access to the Gospel is restricted or there are strict customs regulations requiring a specially packed shoebox. Build a Shoebox Online provides believers in these places with opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in a culturally sensitive way.
Please Do Not Include:
Due to shipping and customs regulations, many items should not be included in your shoebox. Here is a partial list of items that are not allowed:
In general, please do not include any items that are fragile, liquid or perishable.
Food items, including candy, gum, chocolate, fruit snacks or drink mixes (powdered or liquid).
Toothpaste or mouth wash.
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bath soap, or lotion.
Breakable items, such as snow globes or glass containers.
Seeds.
Aerosol cans.
War-related items such as toy guns, knives, or military figures.
Used or damaged items.