Give a child Christmas

Through Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project, Jacksonville residents are packing shoe box gifts for children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty.

Fill shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, hard candy and a letter of encouragement. 

Shoe boxes may be dropped off Nov. 16 to 23 at the New River Baptist Association, 2734 Commerce Road in Jacksonville, from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday and 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday Nov. 23.

This year, organizers hope to collect 4,000 gift-filled shoe boxes from families, kids, churches, schools and civic organizations in the area.

Operation Christmas Child uses tracking technology that allows donors to “follow your box” to the destination country where it will be hand-delivered to a child in need. To register shoe box gifts and find out what country they are delivered to, use the EZ Give donation form found here.