Drop off sites open to held global Christmas project reach children in need

New York families are on a mission to make an impact in the lives of children in need. They are donating colorfully wrapped shoebox gifts to be sent to children around the world – many of whom have never received a gift before and have very little to call their own.

Nov. 13 –20 is Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, when local residents will collect shoebox gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project will deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. The NY Southern Tier Area Team volunteers have a goal of collecting more than 13,441 gifts during the week.

“It’s exciting to think of the impact our efforts will have in the life of each child who receives a shoebox,” said Regional Manager Tracy Thornton. “We can’t wait to see how our community will respond this year to share God’s love with children across the globe.”

Locally, collections will be taking place at Owego’s Lakeview Chapel, located at 185 Day Hollow Rd. in Owego. Collection times are Nov. 13 to Nov. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m.; Nov. 17 from 3 to 6 p.m.; Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Nov. 19 from noon to 2 p.m.; and Nov. 20 from 8 to 10 a.m.

At the Calvary Community Church, located at 780 Harry L Drive in Johnson City, collection times are Nov. 13 and 14, from 4 to 8 p.m.; Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Nov. 16 and 17 from 4 to 8 p.m.; Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Nov. 18 from 1 to 5 p.m.; and on Nov. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

In Sayre, Pa., a collection will take place at the Athens Wesleyan Church, located at 3903 Wilawana Rd., from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 14; from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 15, 16 and 17; from 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 18; from 2 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 19; and from noon to 2 p.m. on Nov. 20.

New York residents are not alone in their effort to help children around the world. More than 150,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups, are joining forces to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2017, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 12 million children, with 13,441 coming from the NY Southern Tier Area Team.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, call (518) 437-0690 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, and then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate 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. 

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.