Individuals, families, churches and groups in Pensacola and surrounding counties are working hard to make Christmas a reality for needy kids around the
world by filling shoe boxes with toys, school supplies, hygiene items and notes of encouragement.
Operation Christmas Child is ramping up as residents in Escambia County and across the Florida Panhandle prepare to collect 22,000 gift-stuffed shoe boxes during National Collection Week Nov. 18-25.
Collection sites include Olive Baptist Church, and Bellview Baptist Church in Pensacola; Southside United Methodist Church in Gulf Breeze, First Baptist Church in Milton, Bratt First Baptist Church in Bratt, Joy Fellowship in Crestview, Village Baptist Church in Destin, Niceville United Methodist Church in Niceville, and First Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs.
Anyone can drop off a gift-filled shoe box to send to a child overseas. The shoe box gifts will be delivered to children worldwide. Operation Christmas Child enables participants to track their boxes online by using the donation form found at samaritanspurse.org. Donors can receive an email telling the country where their shoe boxes are delivered.
Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease, and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ.
For more information on how to locally participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 476-0505 or go to samaritanspurse.org.