U.S. Volunteers Make Charitable Giving a Lifestyle

For Many Volunteers, Operation Christmas Child Isn’t a Seasonal Project - It’s a Way of Life

BOONE, N.C., May 10, 2011—Every time Clair Boone walks into a drug store, her eyes immediately scan the aisles for clearance deals and "free after rebate" items.  It’s only spring, but the Chicago metro resident is already stocking up on items for Operation Christmas Child.  Through this massive year-round project of international relief and evangelism organization Samaritan's Purse, participants fill shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, and letters of encouragement for hurting kids overseas.  

Still months away from Christmas, the holiday would seem to be the last thing on people’s minds.  But for Boone, and many of the other 140,000 U.S. volunteers, Operation Christmas Child is no longer an annual holiday project—it’s a way of life.    

“It’s impossible for me to go in a store without looking for a bargain,” said Boone of mummydeals.org. “My family loves to give as much as we can.  But if I had to write a check for all of the items we give based on regular prices, I wouldn’t be able to do it on our income.  By shopping ahead, we can help kids out and make our dollars go even further.”

Operation Christmas Child, requiring months of organization and preparation, will reach 8.5 million kids in 2011, who are suffering because of natural disasters, disease, war, terrorism, famine, and poverty.  For many of these children, the shoe box will be the first gift they have ever received. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has hand-delivered shoe box gifts to more than 86 million hurting children in some 130 countries.

HOW CAN I HELP NEEDY KIDS WORLDWIDE? It's simple!

• PREPARE - Help enlist families, churches, scout troops, community groups, and businesses to take advantage of sales by collecting items for shoe box gifts. 

• PACK - Fill shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, and a letter of encouragement and drop the boxes off at a collection site near you during National Collection Week. 

Step-by-step shoe box packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call (800) 353-5949 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ. National Collection Week for gift-filled shoe boxes is Nov. 14-21; however, shoe box gifts are collected all year at the Samaritan’s Purse headquarters in Boone, N.C.

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