Volunteer Year-Round
Join a local team to promote Operation Christmas Child in your community all year long!
“We depend on an army of Samaritan's Purse volunteers to carry out the Great Commission mission of our Operation Christmas Child project.”
How do you fit into Operation Christmas Child?
View the volunteer roles and responsibilities below to get an idea of how you could serve.
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Leadership
VolunteersLeadership volunteers build local teams through:
- Shepherding and rallying team members
- Vision casting and coordinating team operations
- Recruiting, selecting, training, and leading volunteers
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Church Relations
VolunteersChurch Relations volunteers form relationships with local Christian congregations to:
- Inspire them to catch the Great Commission vision of Operation Christmas Child to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth
- Mobilize and equip them to participate or increase their participation in the project
- Encourage them to use the project to share the Gospel locally as they promote community shoebox packing involvement
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Logistics
VolunteersLogistics volunteers and drop-off locations work together to:
- Support and expand shoebox gift collection in their communities
- Ensure an inviting and efficient collection of shoebox gifts that serves as a Gospel witness to the community
- Focus on accurate and thorough reporting of shoebox totals
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Community Relations
VolunteersCommunity Relations volunteers are ambassadors for Operation Christmas Child in their communities who:
- Engage and equip businesses and civic organizations to become actively involved in the project
- Speak to community and student groups about the project
- Host or participate in events to spread the word about Operation Christmas Child
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Prayer Team
VolunteersPrayer Team volunteers lead in prayer and encourage local individuals, churches, and groups to provide intercessory prayer by:
- Recruiting local prayer team members and enlisting local church support
- Distributing ministry prayer requests among the team and other area prayer partners
- Sharing prayer needs and promoting participation at community events, shoebox drop-off locations, churches, and other local gatherings
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Administrative Support
VolunteersAdministrative Support volunteers use their organizational skills to:
- Manage data and resources for an area team
- Field local inquiries, connecting people to the appropriate team members and project resources
- Organize and update area team information, including meeting minutes, team rosters, and local volunteer contacts
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Media Support
VolunteersMedia Support volunteers promote the message of Operation Christmas Child in their communities by:
- Publicizing the ministry through local print and radio outlets
- Sharing stories of local involvement and coordinating area media coverage of them
- Providing promotional resources to encourage community participation in the project
What Our Volunteers Are Saying:
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Support & Develop Team Members
“In a leadership role, I support and develop other leaders–building up team members that all work together. Leadership team members are teachers, trainers, and encouragers, not only of volunteers as they set their plans and goals but of them as they grow spiritually. This role isn't all about checklists. It's relational and about the spiritual development of the team.”
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Offer Hope & Encouragement
“Church Relations volunteers contact churches to encourage them to participate in Operation Christmas Child. You are giving churches someone to call if they have questions or need materials to help them promote shoebox packing. That means building a rapport with church personnel. It takes someone who is patient, enthusiastic, and persistent—keeping in time with God, who is the One who can open doors.”
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Efficient with Attention to Detail
“Logistics is bringing a group of people together to distribute shoeboxes around the world. My job is to get the shoeboxes safely from here to the processing center in a timely manner. I make sure we have accurate counts. The more detailed we are here makes everything else flow easier.”
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Become a Part of the Mission
“In this role, you see the value in your community—how many people want to be involved, but they don't know how. The more our team reached out, the more we saw people who want to serve. I thrive on that community togetherness.”
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Have a Heart for Prayer
“Prayer Coordinators have a particular heart for prayer. They are willing to spend time praying and encouraging others to pray. You pray that God will touch hearts and move people. Prayer is always the most important thing we can do, the foundation of everything we do.”
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A Love for Organization
“I love to organize things. I love filling in spreadsheets and sharing information. It helps me see the larger picture. If you have a natural inclination toward detail and working computer skills, this role might be for you. It's also about relationship building and encouraging people. The best part? Watching God work through it all.”
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Spreading the Word
“You're enabling Operation Christmas Child to be seen by people when it goes on social media or on the radio. You're getting to talk to people who otherwise wouldn't have known.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What would I be doing as a year-round volunteer?
As a year-round volunteer, you would join a worldwide network of people passionate about sharing the Gospel with children and their families. There are a variety of roles available that do anything from recruiting and developing local teams to cultivating relationships with local churches.
What skills are required for these roles?
What unique skills or gifts has God given you? Recruiting and leading? Check out our Leadership roles. Cultivating relationships and equipping people? Investigate opportunities in Church Relations. Running a missional and efficient Drop-off Location? Look into Logistics. Interceding locally and worldwide? Maybe our Prayer Team is a good fit for you. Each role highlights distinctive skills, and every Operation Christmas Child volunteer is fully equipped and trained for their specific role when they come on board. Online training and dynamic resources will prepare and support you in your role.
Where is this volunteer opportunity located?
You can serve with Operation Christmas Child wherever you are, since we have local volunteer Area Teams in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Once you apply and progress through the interview process, we will connect you with your local Area Team to serve with like-minded Christians in your community.
What is the time commitment for a volunteer?
The time commitment for volunteer opportunities varies by role and season. Some positions on the team take one to five hours per week, while other positions require 15 hours per week during National Collection Week. There is flexibility in when you invest these hours. After you fill out a Volunteer Interest Form, your local Area Team can tell you more about the specific positions. Please don’t let time commitment determine whether you apply.
Can I do this if I work full time?
We have year-round volunteers in all seasons of life! Our diverse volunteer base includes retirees, grandparents, stay-at-home parents, and students, but there is plenty of room for individuals who work full time with busy family schedules, too. We offer flexibility to serve in your role on a schedule that works for you. Our teams work hard and set big goals. We trust God and see Him work in powerful ways through the faithfulness of volunteers. Don't let the time commitment keep you from exploring this opportunity.
Can I do this if I don't have any leadership experience?
Every Operation Christmas Child volunteer is fully equipped and trained for their role when they come on board. Dynamic resources, exclusive conferences, and online training specific to your role will be made available to you. We believe that God uniquely gifts and prepares those He calls to ministry. You also serve with a local Area Team, so you have a built-in support system to encourage you in your work!
