MARION — Operation Christmas Child is in full swing both here and around the country as shoeboxes are being filled with gifts for National Collection Week, Nov. 16-23.

Christ Fellowship Bible Church, 5910 Crisfield Highway, is again home base in Somerset County for this Samaritan’s Purse-sponsored project as it hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach 12.8 million children this year.

Since 1993 colorful shoeboxes have been filled with toys, school supplies, personal care items and other suitable gifts for distribution to children around the world including places where there is war, poverty, disease and disaster.

During 2025 the U.S. contributed 10.9 million of the more than 12.2 million shoeboxes given out worldwide.

Shoebox packing is fun for individuals, families and groups and various churches have specific times when this occurs. There is a step-by-step guide on the How to Pack a Shoebox link at the samaritanspurse.org website.

Participants can also donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.

Christ Fellowship Bible Church is accepting shoeboxes Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 16-17, and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 19-20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hours are 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 18-19; and 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 22.

The last day is Monday, Nov. 23 from 9-11 a.m.

“We’ve got shoeboxes,” said the Rev Jeff James, pastor of Crisfield’s Asbury United Methodist Church, telling his congregation on Homecoming Sunday, “what we don’t have is time,” urging them to pickup a box, follow the instructions inside and return it to be collected for distribution.

Outside of Somerset County other local congregations serving as drop-off points include First Baptist Church in Pocomoke City, 201 Fourth Street; Salisbury Bible Fellowship, 1500 Court Plaza Lane; and Providence Presbyterian Church, 311 Parker Road, also in Salisbury. Check ahead to confirm times when shoeboxes are being accepted.

“Shoebox gifts may seem simple, but they have an eternal impact. Each box is an opportunity to tell a boy or girl in need about the true meaning of Christmas,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “I’ve delivered these boxes around the world, and I never get tired of seeing the joy that they bring — even in the midst of disasters, war, and poverty.”

Samaritan’s Purse manages Operation Christmas Child to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. If you want to participate and build a shoebox online, or donate to the charity, visit the Samaritan’s Purse website.