Mountain Brook locations to collect gifts for Operation Christmas Child

Two locations in and around Mountain Brook will join 20 others this month in serving as collection sites for Operation Christmas Child, the annual Samaritan’s Purse project. Mountain Brook Community Church, 3001 Highway 280 and McElwain Baptist Church, 4445 Montevallo Rd. S., will both collect gifts during National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23. 

Donors are asked to fill shoeboxes with gifts like dolls, soccer balls with pumps, toys, school supplies, hygiene items and notes of encouragement. The boxes can be wrapped, but the lids and bottoms must be wrapped separately, according to the Samaritan’s Purse website.  

“Through the simple act of filling a shoebox, someone in Birmingham can make a tangible difference in the life of a child halfway around the world. Anyone can participate and bring joy to a child facing difficult circumstances,” said Birmingham area Co-Network Coordinator Stephanie Gates in a release. Gates has participated in Operation Christmas Child for 13 years and volunteered for eight years.

Samaritan’s Purse, according to the release, hopes to collect more than 45,000 gift-filled shoeboxes in Birmingham alone to put toward the 11 million gift goal. 

Gift donors who would like to track their package across the world can donate $7 toward a tracking label. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 124 million children in 150 countries and territories, according to the release. 

For more information about how to participate in Operation Christmas Child call 205-908-2067 or visit samaritanpurse.org/occ.