Since the early 1970s, Samaritan's Purse has collected shoebox gifts filled with toys, school supplies, and personal care items for children across the globe. More than 188 million children in over 170 countries have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox.
Psalm 96:3 - Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples.
Any Items Donated Should Fit In A Shoebox With Many Other Items:
Toys: Include items that children will immediately embrace such as toy cars, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls, toys that light up and make noise (with extra batteries), doll, soccer ball w/ manual pump, outfit of clothing, small musical instrument, foam ball, slinky, play dough, stickers, marbles, etc
School Supplies: pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons, notebooks, paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, adhesive tape, glue sticks, erasers, rulers, scissors, protractor, etc
Non-liquid Hygiene Items: toothbrushes, bar soap, combs, washcloths, dental floss, small blanket, etc
Soap: bars of soap may be broken out of their 3pk, 6pk, 8pk, 12pk, etc...soap can be removed from its cellophane wrappers but must remain in their individual wrapping materials. This is new as of 2022.
Accessories: T-shirts, shorts, socks, hats, gloves, scarves, flip flops, sunglasses, hair clips, jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries), dresses, etc
Crafts: Make your own items such as hair bows, finger puppets, and friendship bracelets.
Homemade Maracas or Bean Bags: Any homemade items with filling MUST have synthetic filling such as plastic beads or pellets. Rice, beans, rocks, aquarium gravel, wood pellets, etc. are not allowed. A note regarding filling can be included for clarification during processing. This is a clarification as of 2022
A Personal Note: You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself, your family, or group. If you include your name and an address, the child may be able to write back.
Do Not Include:
Vaseline®, scary items (things that will frighten a child rather than bring joy), war-related items (such as toy soldiers, military vehicles, or wearable camouflage), liquid paint sets or liquid glue, liquid soap, markers, rubber balls with liquid filling, liquid lip gloss, matches or fire starters, seeds, sand/rocks/shells gathered from nature, all types of food, candy, or gum, chocolate, fruit rolls, fruit snacks, drink mixes (powdered or liquid), medications or vitamins, toothpaste, nail polish, money or play money, baby powder, baking soda, razors, razor blades, liquids or lotions, breakable items or glass containers, aerosol cans, used clothing or toys, knives, saws. The expanded list as of 2022
New Change for 2022:
Please note the change in shipping cost for 2022, it now cost $10 to ship a shoebox. This can be done online and you can download a label or use one from your regional drop off location.
