Drop-Off Sites for International Christmas Project Announced

This month, five sites in Morris and Sussex counties will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 18 ­– 25. Northwestern New Jersey families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children in need. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received. This year, Northwestern New Jersey-area residents in Morris and Sussex counties hope to collect more than 14,471 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children. “I love seeing the local community rally together for a global impact,” said Succasunna volunteers Ed and Daryl Blewett, who have participated in Operation Christmas Child for 20 years. “We see all ages getting involved – and more and more every year.”

MORRIS COUNTY COLLECTION SITES:

Freedom Church

145 Oak Ridge Road

Oak Ridge, NJ 07438

Monday, Nov. 18, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

New Apostolic Church

819 Edwards Road

Parsippany, NJ 07054

Monday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 22, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Times Square Church (North Jersey Campus)

450 Howard Boulevard

Mount Arlington, NJ 07856

Monday, Nov. 18, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 22, 3 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24, 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25, 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.

SUSSEX COUNTY COLLECTION SITES:

Lafayette Federated Church

180 Route 15

Lafayette, NJ 07848

Monday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Western Hills Christian Church

40 Kennedy Road

Tranquility, NJ 07879

Monday, Nov. 18, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 20, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 22, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 23, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Sunday, Nov. 24, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 25, 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 410-772-7360, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is 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 168 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.