Rome church to collect 'shoe box gifts' for Operation Christmas Child | | news-journal.com

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse that delivers gift shoe boxes filled with small treats and toys to children around the world. Locally, the Resurrection Life Church on Floyd Ave. in Rome, will serve as a drop-off location for those wishing to spread Christmas cheer worldwide.

ROME — Organizers of a local effort to bring small toys and gifts to children in need around the world are asking area residents to begin to prepare their Operation Christmas Child shoe box.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse that delivers gift shoe boxes filled with small treats and toys to children around the world in Jesus’ name as “a tangible expression of God’s love as ministry partners share the good news of Jesus Christ, God’s greatest gift.”

In Rome, shoe boxes can be dropped off during National Collection Week, Nov. 18-25, at the Resurrection Life Church, 628 Floyd Ave. Drop-off times are from 10 a.m. to noon, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday; and from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Since 1993, more than 220 million children in over 170 countries and territories have received a shoe box gift. Shoe box gifts are collected in 11 different countries and distributed around the world.

An Operation Christmas Child box can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, or donors can use any standard size shoe box. A shoe box can be packed for a boy or a girl and could contain a fun object such as a toy, a soccer ball with a pump, or a stuffed animal, personal items, and school supplies. The shoe box can be personalized by including an encouraging note or photo for the child. A suggested donation of $10 per shoe box helps to cover shipping and other project costs.

Information on how to pack a shoe box can be found online at samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child.

Originally published on romesentinel.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.