Operation Christmas Child returning in November

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John residents are reminded of the upcoming National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child in November. 

Operation Christmas Child, run under Samaritan’s Purse, is intended to deliver shoe boxes full of gifts to children worldwide and share the gospel of Christ. 

According to its website, Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian organization that provides spiritual and physical aid to hurting people worldwide.

“The project delivers not only the joy of what, for many kids, is their first gift ever but also gives them a tangible expression of God’s love,” says their website.

Since 1993, more than 220 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.

Local residents are invited to gather as many materials as possible, put them in a shoebox, label whether the box is packed for a boy or girl and the age category, and deliver the items to the closest drop-off location. 

A $12 donation is also required to cover shipping costs. 

Potential donors are advised to fill the shoeboxes with the following items: 

• pens 
• pencil crayons 
• pencils
• sharpeners
• erasers
• markers
• notebooks
• picture books
• colouring books
• bouncy balls
• cars/trucks
• toy jewelry
• shapes or number cards
• Uno cards
• easy puzzles
• facecloths
• ivory bar soap
• combs
• hair clips
• toothbrushes
• floss
• melamine cups and bowls, 
• soft dolls
• plain baseball hats 
• plain t-shirts 
• stuffed animals  
• instruments
• reusable bags
• Slinkys
• flip-flops
• skipping ropes
• sunglasses
• band-aids

The following items are not advised;

•  candy, gum, food items, or seeds
•  playing cards
•  items that can break or leak
•  liquid items
•  glow sticks
•  toothpaste
•  war-related items
•  items that could scare a child
•  dice
•  camouflage items
•  open mirrors (closable compact mirrors are ok to send)
•  tablet-towels
•  lip gloss or make-up
•  nail polish 
•  tissue paper,
•  used items

In February, residents packed nearly 1,500 shoeboxes for the operation. 

British Columbians packed 53,945 shoeboxes in 2023 — a three per cent increase over 2022.

National Collection Week will be from Friday, November 18th to the 24th.

Donations will be accepted that week at the Fort St. John Alliance Church drop-off location at 9804 99th Avenue.