It is Christmas all year long with Operation Christmas Child!

Christmas time is a wonderful time of year. A time of giving and receiving and celebrating the birth of Christ.

However, some kids will never see presents under the tree. Some kids may never receive a Christmas gift, or any kind of a gift at all. That is where Operation Christmas Child comes in!

What is OCC?

Operation Christmas Child is a branch of Samaritans purse (A Christ-based relief organization). They collect and deliver shoe box sized boxes to children living in poverty.

The box may be filled with hygiene items, school supplies, toys, clothing and other fun things that a child may love. Often times this box may be the only gift that a child in this type of situation ever receives. (So if you ever pack one, make sure that it is GREAT! 🙂 )

They deliver the shoe boxes to 3rd world countries and other places living in poverty.

They make the kids smile, give them hope, show them someone cares, are a mighty gospel-sharing opportunity for those who volunteer to deliver boxes and have so many wonderful long term benefits!

 

Some of you may be reading this and think “That is quite a great cause, but I don’t have the time to pack a shoe box!”

Well fear not! for OCC has come up with the perfect solution for such excuses.

Online shoe-box making!

I recently built a shoe box online myself since I (Unfortunately) missed the collection week, and completely forgot about building a shoe box at all.

I looked around at the different ages for boys and girls and the gift options only vary slightly for each group.

I built a box for a boy aged 10-14 (As I’ve read that that is the age for which the least amount of shoe boxes is received.)

It is a very simple process.

As you can see, you can even just donate the $25 and they will build a box for you!

But we are going to focus on building our own.

For the purpose of showing the process, I’ve selected a boy aged 2-4 (the SECOND LEAST received type of box).

 

Anyways, you choose to add the essential products (hygiene items and school supplies)

And then add various toys and neat things the child will enjoy (different ages will have varying items to choose, less toys and more things that would interest them)

And then you add a few accessories so they have something to wear or something they can really use.

When you are all finished you have the option to write a note and include  photo of you and your family if you choose.

It is $25 to build the box this way and an extra $6 if you wish to track where it goes.

If you want to build an online shoe box of your own,  click on this link and it will take you to where you can build one.

 

 

 

 

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