Operation Christmas Child Collection Dates Continue

COURT HOUSE – As Thanksgiving Day approaches, many Cape May County families are expressing their gratitude by giving back. 
According to a release, residents are filling shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies, and hygiene items to send to children in need around the world. 
For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.
During Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week Nov. 18 to 25, residents will collect shoebox gifts at drop-off locations in the area. 
A packing party was held Nov. 17 at First United Methodist Church, Court House. During the evening, over 200 shoeboxes were filled.
The Samaritan’s Purse project, partnering with churches worldwide, will deliver these gifts to children in need. Area volunteers hope to collect more than 23,048 gifts during the week.
“It’s amazing to see the local community rally together for a global impact,” stated Regional Director Bill Rumbaugh. “We see all ages getting involved – and more and more every year.”
Area residents are not alone in their effort to help children around the world. More than 150,000 U.S. volunteers including families, churches and other groups are joining forces to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2019, Samaritan’s Purse hopes to collect enough Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts to reach 11 million children, with 23,048 coming from the local area.
For information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 410-772-7360, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. 
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world 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 168 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.
Additional collection dates/times:
Cape May Court House
First United Methodist Church
1 Church St.
Cape May Court House 
Nov. 18-22: 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 23: 2-5 p.m.
Nov. 24: 1-4 p.m.
Nov. 25: 8-10 a.m.