While most people in the U.S. are preparing for holiday activities, Southwest Louisiana volunteers with Operation Christmas Child - the world's largest Christmas project of its kind - are filling shoe box gifts with toys, school supplies and hygiene items for needy children overseas.
This year-round project of international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan's Purse, headed by Franklin Graham, is ramping up as local businesses, churches and community groups prepare to collect over 15,000 gift-filled shoe boxes during National Collection Week, Nov. 12-19.
Anyone can drop off a packed shoe box at one of five locations in the Southwest Louisiana area. Then, using whatever means necessary -- trucks, trains, boats, bikes and even elephants - the shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to hurting children in 100 countries around the world.
Southwest Louisiana collection sites:
The Dwelling Place
1800 E. College St.
Lake Charles, LA 70669
337-405-9022
Maplewood First Baptist Church
4601 Maplewood Drive
Sulphur, LA 70663
(337) 625-5899 or 337-499-8184 or 337-309-0378
First Baptist Church DeQuincy
291 S. Pine
DeQuincy, LA 70633
337-786-7072 or 337-405-9022
Temple Baptist Church (DeRidder)
122 MLK Drive
DeRidder, LA 70634
337-396-4818 or 337-405-9022
Kinder Bible Church
702 4th Ave.
Kinder, LA 70648
337-639-4906 or 337-405-9022
Additional local collection sites can be found using the online Zip Code locator at www.samaritanspurse.org.
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