Operation Christmas Child’s national collection week begins Monday, Nov. 16, and runs through Monday, Nov. 23. Uniontown families and community groups can participate by delivering packed shoeboxes to Calvary Baptist Church at 308 McClellandtown Road, according to both the Observer‑Reporter and the Herald‑Standard.
The annual shoebox‑collection project, created by international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, has sent more than 244 million boxes to children in over 175 countries and territories since 1993. “How amazing it is that by packing a shoebox filled with gifts can change the hearts of millions of children and their families. What an incredible opportunity we are given to make an eternal difference spreading the love of Jesus to the ends of the earth,” said Christine Hainer, Operation Christmas Child area coordinator for Southwestern Pennsylvania, as quoted by both outlets.
Packers should use a standard‑sized shoebox and include hygiene items (no liquids), a small stuffed animal or a deflated soccer ball with a pump, arts‑and‑craft supplies, socks, T‑shirts, and a label indicating whether the box is for a girl or a boy and the approximate age. Detailed packing instructions are available on the Operation Christmas Child website. The suggested donation for shipping each box is $10, and a tracking label can be created online.
During the collection week, shoeboxes may be dropped off at any of the following locations: Crossroads Ministries (Finleyville), The Bible Chapel (McMurray), Fayette City Alliance Church (Connellsville), McDonald Presbyterian Church (Calvary Center), South Franklin Community Building, St. John’s Union Church (Mt. Pleasant), World Christian Outreach Ministries (Connellsville), First Baptist Church (Waynesburg), and Calvary Baptist Church in Uniontown. Hours for each site vary.
Residents are encouraged to verify each site’s operating hours before heading out by visiting the Samaritan’s Purse drop‑off locator page at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/drop-off-locations/. After packing, participants can create a shipping label online, pay the $10 donation, and track the box’s journey to its destination.
What’s next: Uniontown volunteers should plan to assemble their shoeboxes early in the week, check Calvary Baptist Church’s drop‑off hours, and submit online labels by Nov. 23 to ensure their gifts reach children worldwide before the collection period ends.
Sources: observer-reporter.com, heraldstandard.com
