BOONE, N.C. — Samaritan’s Purse CEO Franklin Graham encourages supporters to pack more Operation Christmas Child gift-filled shoeboxes than ever before as the global pandemic is creating greater opportunities to share the Gospel with children around the world.

An international relief organization, Samaritan’s Purse provides local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. They ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease; and to children living on Native American reservations in the U.S.

During the pandemic, the ministry has been prayerfully considering ways to modify the collection and processing as they monitor local, state, and national guidelines and making adjustments to help protect the health of those involved in preparing shoebox gifts.

Earlier this month, Operation Christmas Child Project Leaders across the U.S. shared some of these creative ways they are shoebox packing in order to ensure that children around the world are still blessed with these gifts. At this time there are no changes as to what can and can’t be packed in shoebox gifts this year.

National Collection Week is Nov. 16–23, 2020. Shoebox donors can find their nearest drop-off locations by early November on the Samaritan Purse website.

You can still help share God’s love with children around the world even if you don’t have time to shop for and pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift. With a few clicks of your mouse or swipes on your touchscreen, you can build a shoebox online. Make it your own by choosing from a list of gifts, then add a personal letter and photo. We’ll pack your shoebox and send it for you, for a suggested donation of just $25.

Each shoebox gift becomes a tangible expression of God’s love for a child in real need. Shoeboxes built online also allow ease of entry through customs, and help ensure Operation Christmas Child’s continued presence in places that are hard to reach.

For churches and groups meeting online, digital resources are being developed to assist in the ministry efforts. Visit online at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/covid-19.