Operation Christmas Child sets collection week

Participating in Operation Christmas Child efforts this year? Mark Monday on your calendar.

That’s the start of National Collection Week, which runs through Nov. 20.

During that time, more than 4,500 locations will open to collect Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse project.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts — filled with school supplies, hygiene items and fun toys — to children worldwide since 1993. In 2023, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Operation Christmas Child Ministry, and delivery of the 200 millionth shoebox gift.

Anyone can pack a shoebox. Individuals, families and groups still have time to transform empty shoeboxes into fun gifts. The project 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 online guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox at samaritanspurse.org.

Participants can find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. The online lookup tool is searchable by city or zip code.

Signs at each location will identify the drop-off.

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.

Local collection sites and their hours of operation are:

The Christian & Missionary Alliance Church. 308 Elmhurst St., Morgantown

  • 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday
  • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday
  • 4-8 p.m. Nov. 13
  • Noon-5 p.m. Nov. 16-17
  • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 18
  • Noon-4 p.m. Nov. 19
  • 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 20

Fresh Harvest Assembly of God, 275 Canyon Road, Morgantown

  • 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday and Nov. 15
  • 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16 and Nov. 17
  • 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 18
  • 3-5 p.m. Nov. 19
  • 9 a.m.-noon Nov. 20

Mill Chapel United Brethren Church, 6732 Kingwood Pike, Reedsville

6-8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday
6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 15-18
9:30 a.m.-noon Nov. 19
8-10 a.m. Nov. 20

First United Methodist Church, 303 W. State Ave., Terra Alta

  • 10 a.m.-noon Monday through Nov. 18
  • 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 19
  • 8-10 a.m. Nov. 20

Maple Spring Church, 3075 Maple Spring Highway, Eglon

  • 6-8 p.m. Monday through Nov. 15
  • 10 a.m.-noon Nov. 16-18
  • 6-8 p.m. Nov. 18
  • 1-6 p.m. Nov. 19
  • 8-10 a.m. Nov. 20

Little Sandy Church of the Nazarene, 3767 Little Sandy Road, Bruceton Mills

  • 4-6 p.m. Monday through Nov. 17 and Nov. 19
  • 8-10 a.m. Nov. 20