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As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks for all their blessings and sharing those blessings with children in need by packing shoeboxes with Operation Christmas Child.

 Shoebox gifts prepared by generous donors and filled with toys, personal care items, and school supplies may be dropped off now during National Collection Week, Nov. 13 ­– 20. More than 4,500 drop-off sites are now open.

The drop-off site for Marengo County is the Bethel Baptist Association in Linden. The BBA is located at 308 E Coats Avenue. Drop-off times are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 13-17, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 18, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 19, and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 20.

The next closest drop-off area is Livingston First Baptist Church located at 103 Lafayette Street Livingston.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for three decades. In 2023, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. This season, there’s still time for individuals, families, and groups to transform empty shoe boxes into fun gifts. The project of Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need. Find a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox webpage.

“This season, children around the world need a tangible reminder that there is hope and that God loves them,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “Through these shoebox gifts packed with special items, children also receive the opportunity to hear about the eternal hope found in Jesus Christ.”

 Participants can use the online lookup tool to find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. It is searchable by city or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop off.

 Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, seeks 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 209 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. This year, Operation Christmas Child will celebrate its 30th year of ministry!