WARREN – Pleasant Community Church began their collection for Operation Christmas Child on Monday.

The program encourages people to donate shoeboxes full of gifts that will be collected and shipped to more than 100 different countries. Donations can be dropped off now until Monday, November 24.

The Pleasant Community Church dropoff center has collected more than 100,000 shoeboxes in the past 15 years.

Last year 2,595 boxes were collected in the Warren area alone.

Wendy Carrington, the central dropoff team leader for Warren, Corry, Bradford and Emporium, shared she hopes for similar numbers this year if not more.

Carington has been involved with the program since 2020, but the Pleasant Community Church has been donating boxes since 2004 and became a central drop off location in 2009.

Recommended items to be donated include hygiene items, school supplies, clothing and toys.

“Its a really easy way to make a big difference. To a person in a third world country it can mean the world,” said Carrington.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian organization which provides aid to those all over the world. There are more than 5,000 drop off locations across the country.

Those wanting to donate to the organization can drop off their gift-filled shoeboxes at Pleasant Community Church. Their drop off hours include:

Tuesday, Nov. 18: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 19: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 20: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 21: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 22: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 23: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 24: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.