CLAY COUNTY—Children in need are being blessed this Christmas season through the Samaritan’s Purse project, Operation Christmas Child. Individuals, families and groups can pack shoebox gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies and personal care items and drop them off now during National Collection Week through Nov. 25.

More than 4,700 drop-off locations are open around the country, including five in Clay County.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for more than three decades. In 2024, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 12 million children. 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 How to Pack a Shoebox at samaritanspurse.org/operation-Christmas-child.

“Samaritan’s Purse is committed to taking the Gospel to hard-to-reach places—whether it's responding to a disaster or sharing God’s love through the power of a simple shoebox,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “You can show kids in need the true meaning of Christmas this year through a shoebox gift. Please prayerfully consider packing a shoebox this year.”

For more information, call (407) 273-6112 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender. Then, they can finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need worldwide 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 220 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

Local drop-off locations are:

• Hibernia Baptist Church, 7100 U.S. Highway 17, Fleming Island

Pickup times:  Friday, Nov. 22, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 24, 1 p.m.3 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 25, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.

• The Springs Church, 900 Park Ave., Orange Park

Pickup times: Friday, Nov. 22, 10 a.m.-noon; Saturday, Nov. 23, 9 a.m.-noon; Sunday, Nov. 24, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 25, 8:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.

• Black Pond Baptist Church, 3644 Old Jennings Road, Middleburg

Pickup times: Friday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 24, 9:30 p.m.-1 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 25, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.

• Oakleaf Baptist Church, 800 Oakleaf Plantation Pkwy., Oakleaf

Pickup times: Friday, Nov. 22, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 23, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 24, noon-4 p.m. and 7 p.m.-7:30 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 25, 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m.

• Trinity Baptist Church, 3716 SE State Road 21, Keystone Heights

Pickup times: Through Monday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.