Collection will begin Monday for this year’s Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child.
Locations are in Port Angeles, Sequim, Port Townsend and Forks.
Through Nov. 21, residents can donate shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and toys such as dolls or soccer balls for Operation Christmas Child volunteers to deliver to children in need around the world.
Organizers say Olympic and Kitsap peninsula residents are anticipated to contribute more than 12,500 shoebox gifts toward the 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children in 130 countries around the world.
“The shoebox gifts donated by volunteers at these drop-off locations will shine a light of hope to children living in poverty overseas,” said Port Angeles drop-off site coordinator Cookie Singhose-Allison, who has participated in Operation Christmas Child for six years.
“Anyone is welcome to pack a shoebox and help a child facing difficult circumstances to feel loved and not forgotten.”
Here is information about drop-off sites:
• In Port Angeles, Bethany Pentecostal Church, 506 S. Francis St., will host drop-offs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Hours next Sunday will be from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. They will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21.
• In Sequim, Eastern Hills Community Church, 91 Savannah Lane, will host drop-offs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Hours next Sunday will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. They will be from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Nov. 21.
• In Port Townsend, Calvary Community Church, 82 Romans Road, will host drop-offs from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. to noon Friday and Saturday. Hours next Sunday will be from noon to 2 p.m. They will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21.
• In Forks, The Caring Place, 481 W. E St., will host drop-offs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday through Sunday, Nov. 20. Hours will be from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21.
Participants can go online at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ to follow their box to discover where in the world it will be delivered by giving the suggested shipping donation of $7 per shoebox gift and receiving a bar-code label for the shoebox.
Another shoebox gift option is to pack a shoebox gift online and upload a photo and note of encouragement.
Samaritan’s Purse is an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories.
