Churches in Merced County ready for Christmas gifts effort
A local effort to supply gifts to children in need during the Christmas holiday has started up again this year.
Organizers and a number of churches around Merced County are accepting shoeboxes filled with gifts and other items for Operation Christmas Child, a national effort by Christian humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse since 1993, according to a news release.
Merced County was able to collect 5,600 shoeboxes last year, organizers said. More than 124 million children in 150 countries have received a gift since its inception.
The boxes are filled with a toy – such as a doll, soccer ball with pump or stuffed animal – and school supplies as well as hygiene products. Organizers said the gift is a way that they evangelize their religious beliefs to children, according to the new release.
Local organizers will be collecting shoeboxes every day from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 16 to 23 at Gateway Church, 353 E. Donna Drive.
Other drop off spots include Oasis Community Church in Los Banos, 1005 I St., and Delhi Community Presbyterian Church, 15917 El Capitan Way.
Hours of operation can be found at www.samaritanspurse.org. From the homepage, click on the Operation Christmas Child link.
For more on getting involved, call Connie Barrett at 209-769-5047, Carolyn Roos at 209-631-9639, or Sonia Willson at 209-777-4116.
For more on the collection center, call Dave Willson at 209-769-7553 or Bill Barrett at 209-769-3735.
This story was originally published October 19, 2015 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Churches in Merced County ready for Christmas gifts effort."