A collection for Operation Christmas Child will be held Nov. 15-22 at Pleasant Community Church, 673 Pleasant Dr. Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, according to a program website.

“Our mission is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ,” they say. “We ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease; and to children living on Native American reservations in the U.S.”

“Operation Christmas Child is a program that has been around since 1993 and has impacted children all over the world,” Wendy Carrington, the site coordinator, said. “Participants are encouraged to fill a shoebox with donations of toys, clothing, hygiene items, and school supplies, as well as any other items a child would enjoy receiving.”

The collection at Pleasant, according to Carrington, serves the region including Bradford, St. Marys and Corry.

Photo provided to the Times Observer Patti Seth dedicating last year’s Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Some items, she said, should not be included such as glass, liquids, food or war-related items.

Each box also needs to be accompanied by $9 to cover shipping, which can be sent directly to Samaritan’s Purse or paid online.

Carrington said she is “excited to see how many boxes we can send and how many children we can reach from our little corner of the globe.”

She said anyone looking for more information can visit samaritanspurse.org/occ, call Carrington at (814) 688-6636 or by calling the Pleasant Community Church at (814) 723-7730.

Boxes will be able to be dropped off next Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. as well as noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. the following Monday.