How to Pack a Shoebox
OCC Schools 2025
She’s Got a Heart for Sharing Christ Through Shoeboxes
Nine-year-old Ava Smith loves to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! Why? “Because shoeboxes provide hope for children who might not have any hope,” she said. She became passionate about the Samaritan’s Purse project three years ago when she packed her first shoebox gift at her Christian school in Felton, Delaware. Ava then shared her enthusiasm…
Both Sides of the Box
Attention Shoebox Shoppers
As back-to-school items are placed front-and-center in stores this time of year, many Operation Christmas Child year-round shoppers are rolling up their sleeves to find great deals. School supplies are a fundamental component of quality shoebox gifts. In addition to capitalizing on seasonal sales and off-season clearance merchandise, shopping year-round divides shoebox purchases over several…
Andy Castillo’s Story: Rescued by God
Andy Castillo, Operation Christmas Child regional director for North and Central America, was interviewed during a recent trip to his native Honduras. He and his team took part in several festive outreach events while there. You became involved in full-time ministry, and specifically children’s ministry, in a unique way. How did that come about? Castillo:…
Media Resources
Press Release: Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 Makes Final Flight from Greensboro, Delivering Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes to Hurricane-Ravaged Jamaica
Shoebox Letter Prompts Girl in Mexico to Receive Christ
Jazmin had been longing for a doll of her own. When she received one at age 6 in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox, she thanked God for the gift. “It was very exciting,” Jazmin, now 17, recalled. “It wasn’t only a doll, it was a princess doll. I didn’t have anything like it. I thought…
Ohio Farmers Influence their Community and the World by Packing Shoeboxes
Drive down River Styx Road just outside Wadsworth, Ohio, and you’ll come across the “Styx and Stones Farm” sign. Pull in the driveway on any given Saturday morning in the fall, and it will be tough to find a spot to park. On one edge of the driveway sits a barn that’s at least 175…









