CENTRE COUNTY — Volunteers are preparing to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 16 – 23. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations will open across the country in November, and shoebox packers can find their local drop-off locations across Centre County.
- Christ Community Baptist Church, 2000 Ellis Place, State College
- Park Forest Baptist Church, State College
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering gift-filled shoeboxes to children including many who are suffering from war, poverty, disease and disaster. Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach 12.8 million children in 2026.
“Shoebox gifts may seem simple, but they have an eternal impact. Each box is an opportunity to tell a boy or girl in need about the true meaning of Christmas,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “I’ve delivered these boxes around the world, and I never get tired of seeing the joy that they bring—even in the midst of disasters, war, and poverty.”
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 244 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 175 countries and territories.
