Hosting A Shoe Box Party!

It's that time of year again for packing shoe boxes! For 18 years Operation Christmas Child has been delivering shoe boxes filled with toys, trinkets and other goodies to children in impoverished nations around the world. It's one of the simplest, and may I say most fun, ways to give back during this holiday season. It has becomes by far one of the most successful charities, which millions of people take part in each year.

This is something you can do as an individual, as a packing party with friends or organize with your church. I can't think of a better way to get your children excited about giving as well!


To make sure the children get these packages by Christmas, the drop off dates at 11/14-11/21. You can use regular shoe boxes, plastic shoe boxes or even the ones made by OCC. Just make sure you get all the info you need about what kinds of things to send, how to properly package your shoe boxes, and where to drop them off. All this information and more is listed on the Operation Christmas Child website:

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ

Personally, having a party is my personal favorite way to go! It's the perfect time to have a little pre-Christmas celebrations with snacks, music and friends. It also allows everyone to share bulk packages. Whatever way you choose to do it, it's sure to be a blessing to you as well as the children who receive it!


Related Post: Donate A Shoe Box

Donate A Shoe Box

Operation Christmas Child is a charitable organization that delivers shoe boxes full of all kinds of goodies to suffering children in different countries at Christmas time. It is a division of Samaritan's Purse that I have felt a certain kinship with since I first read about it in Franklin Graham's book, Living Beyond The Limits. In the book he told a story about the early days of the program and how there was a woman who lived in a poor region of the United States that managed to collect an untold number of shoe boxes from her equally destitute neighbors. The community pulled together what resources they had and managed to make an incredible difference!

He also talked about reactions from the children when they received their shoe boxes. How most times they would cry, dance for joy and some would even take one item from the box and give it back, not able to comprehend that the entire box belonged to them. This of course pulled tightly at my heartstrings, as we live in a nation where children are so blessed that, by God's grace, they will never know such poverty.

Donation week is just around the corner, November 16-23, which means you still have time to get in on the action! All you need to do to take part in this exceptional program is fill a shoebox with a variety of gifts and take it to a drop off location near you. You can find more information on PACKING A SHOEBOX and DROP OFF LOCATIONS by clicking these links. If you don't have time to put a shoebox together but would still like to make a donation, visit the EZ GIVE page.


*NOTE: Chick-fil-A has recently teamed up with Operation Christmas Child to help promote this great cause. If you have a Chick-fil-A nearby, drop your shoebox off at any location and receive a FREE chicken sandwich! Call ahead for local drop off dates and times.