Students, clubs and organizations are invited to complete some of their required service hours by filling a shoebox (or boxes) with small gifts for Operation Christmas Child; instructions are listed below.
The boxes must be completed by Monday, Nov. 21, and delivered to Room 159, Murray-Herrick Campus Center (St. Paul), or the Admissions Suite in the UST School of Law (Minneapolis). Operation Christmas Child will ship the boxes to impoverished children around the world who otherwise would not receive a Christmas gift.
Learn more about Operation Christmas Child on the Samaritan’s Purse website.
How to pack an Operation Christmas Child shoe box:
- Use an empty standard-sized shoe box or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required.
- To indicate whether the gift will be for a boy or a girl and the child’s age category: 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14, print out the appropriate boy or girl label, available for download on the Samaritan’s Purse website, mark the correct age category and tape the label to the top of the box.
- Fill the box with gifts. Gift suggestions are provided below.
- If possible donate $7 to help cover shipping and other project costs; give online by using the EZGIVE option on the website or write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on the memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside the box.
- Take the boxes to the donation sites mentioned above by Monday, Nov. 21.
Gift ideas:
- Toys – small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky.
- School supplies – pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps-and-ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books.
- Hygiene items – toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth.
- Other – hard candy and lollipops (double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
- Personal note –You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family in a separate envelope. If you include your name and address, the child may write back.
Do not include:
- Used or damaged items
- War-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures
- Chocolate or food
- Out-of-date candy
- Liquids or lotions
- Medications or vitamins
- Breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers
For more information email Krista Griffith.
