Shoebox season is underway for the Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child campaign.
Every year people across the country pack shoe boxes full of toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, in addition to personal notes and photos, to be delivered to children in need around the world.
Last year people throughout Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows managed to pack 4,090 shoe boxes for the campaign, boxes that went to children in countries like Ukraine, Philippines, West Africa, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.
Across Canada more than 436,000 shoeboxes were filled with gifts.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed more than 232 million shoebox gifts in more than 130 countries.
“Struggling children and families need hope,” said Kendra Shields, director of Operation Christmas Child.
“This is the essence of Operation Christmas Child. Every shoebox gift is an opportunity for a child to learn that he or she matters to Canadians and, most importantly, matters to God. That’s why I want everyone to help as many children in need as possible by packing shoeboxes,” added Shields.
Operation Christmas Child is an annual initiative of Samaritan’s Purse, an international, nondenominational, evangelical Christian, relief organization that works in more than 100 countries.
The organization’s mission is to provide spiritual and physical aid to people around the world, work they have been doing since 1973.
Since that time the annual Operation Christmas Child campaign has distributed more than 198 million shoe boxes.
A $12 per box donation is also needed to cover shipping and other program costs.
National Shoebox Collection Week is Nov. 17-23.
Canadians can also pack boxes online at PackABox.ca.
For more information go to: samaritanspurse.ca.