Canada’s 2018 Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection season started this week, as thousands of individuals, families, churches, businesses, sports teams and community groups begin packing shoeboxes with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, plus personal notes and photos.
Operation Christmas Child is an annual initiative of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization that works in more than 100 countries.
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Thanks to all the items that Canadians lovingly put in their shoeboxes, and the $10-per-box they donate to cover shipping and other program costs, Samaritan’s Purse is able to deliver the boxes to children around the world living in the midst of poverty, disease, war, and natural disaster.
Last year, Canadians filled more than 615,000 shoeboxes with gifts that shared God’s love and hope with struggling children in poverty-stricken countries. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed almost 157 million shoebox gifts around the globe.
“Every shoebox packed by Canadians enables us to reach into some of the darkest and most isolated parts of the developing world,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child. “Please consider packing just one more box to increase the impact you and Operation Christmas Child will have this season.”
Shoeboxes are given as unconditional gifts regardless of the child’s race, religion, or gender. When given, they often open doors for Samaritan’s Purse to work with local community leaders in identifying and addressing important needs such as clean water, literacy, vocational training for women, school meals for children, etc.
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