Plano, TX, Nov. 15, 2021—As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are expressing gratitude by giving back to children in need around the world.  One especially thankful person is Maritza Andrade, now an adult with children of her own.  She received a shoebox gift when she was a young girl in El Salvador. Her story is told in this short video – Operation Christmas Child - Maritza's Story: The Reassurance of God's Love | Facebook

For those who are including Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts as part of their holiday, there are 5 local drop-off sites in the south Collin County area.

Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors all year-long, filled with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies may be dropped off during National Collection Week, Nov. 15 ­– 22.  Participants can find one of the 5 drop-off locations and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for nearly three decades. This season, there’s still time for individuals, families, and groups to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts. The project of Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.

“This season, children around the world need a tangible reminder that there is hope and that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Through these shoebox gifts packed with special items, children also receive the opportunity to hear about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ.”

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 188 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.