(pictures are from Operation Christmas Child 2014)

History: Operation Christmas Child was started in 1990. In 1993, Operation Christmas Child grew and was adopted by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization run by Franklin Graham. To date, Operation Christmas Child has collected and distributed over 100 million shoebox gifts worldwide. In 2013, Canadians donated more than 664,000 Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes for hurting children around the world.

How it works: Each shoebox is filled by Canadians with hygiene items, school supplies, toys, and candy, and is given to children regardless of gender, race, or religion.

In 2014, shoeboxes will be distributed in Uruguay, El Salvador, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea, Costa Rica, Guinea, Haiti, Nicaragua, Chile (including Easter Island), Senegal, and Ukraine.

For more information:

http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/operation-christmas-child.aspx