Operation Christmas Child Logo
STATE COLLEGE- Christmas is time when children sit around the tree, sing Christmas carols and unravel those presents they have been waiting to open for months. For some children living in poor and undeveloped nations this is not the case as they struggle to find basic necessities that we take for granted here in the United States. The Samaritan Purse, an organization that provides aid to people in physical need, works with several churches in the State College to ensure less fortunate kids are able to enjoy Christmas regardless of their living conditions.
Operation Christmas Child, a program started by the organization Samaritan’s Purse and works alongside with Toys for Tots, sends toys and basic necessities to countries in Eastern Europe, South America and Africa during the Christmas season. The Samaritan Purse collects these gifts in a shoe box which is then sent to a processing center in various locations around the nation. After careful inspection of the gifts inside the shoe box the gifts are then shipped out to a child in need.
Maria Bills, the supervisor of Operation Christmas Child at Grace Lutheran Church in downtown State College said the number of donations have grown since the program started at the small church five years ago.
“Its just a blessing to see how lives can change for children just by showing love and compassion during the Christmas season,” Bills said.
Bills and her family have been packing shoe boxes for over ten years and praised donors for making the operation larger and larger each year. Annually over 100,000 volunteers across the United States assisted in helping these boxes reach their final destinations.
In addition to toys, donors can also send school supplies, candy and even clothes such as socks and hats. In the past, Bills has received letters and notes from families in these less fortunate countries thanking them for their generous donations. The organization also send Christmas stories to children receiving gifts from donors and these books are currently available in 40 different languages.
Donors can also choose what age group, what gender and what region of the globe they would like their donations to be sent to. To help cover shipping cost, Operation Christmas child recommends that all donors donate $7 per box. Toys for Tots also works alongside Operation Christmas Child to send gifts to less fortunate kids. Bills describes the collaboration between both organizations as ‘heartwarming’ and ‘touching. The program has grown tremendously over the last ten years and Bills projects it will get bigger when more Americans becomes aware of this program.
“If you haven’t thought about packing a shoe box with toys before I think reading some of the thank you notes and letter will change your mind,” said Bills. “Its a great feeling being able to help out kids who are less fortunate and putting a smile on their faces.”