Samaritan’s Purse Launches ‘Operation Christmas Child’

Bemidji, MN – Local volunteers are inviting Bemidji residents to turn empty shoe boxes into gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children living in poverty overseas.

Several locations will serve as collection sites for residents to drop off gifts today though Monday, November 21.

According to a press release published by the Samaritan’s Purse, “…Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoe box gifts to reach 12 million children, with more than 13,756 coming from Bemidji and surrounding cities.”

Participants can follow their box to discover where in the world it will be delivered, or they can pack a shoe box gift online and upload a photo and note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-filled shoe boxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories since 1993.

A complete list of all area drop-off locations can be found at samaritanspurse.org/occ.