Calvary Baptist Church in Bellefontaine continues its tradition as a drop-off location for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child, collecting shoebox gifts for children in need around the world.
For several years, the church has served the community by helping gather these personalized shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and letters.
The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way.
Through this project, Samaritan’s Purse partners with local churches worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations.
The initiative began in 1993, when Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham received a call from a man in England asking for help filling shoeboxes for children in Eastern Europe.
Graham enlisted the late Pastor Ross Rhoads of Calvary Church of Charlotte, who guided his congregation in filling shoeboxes with simple gifts and letters to children.
Within weeks, the church had 11,000 shoeboxes, and, together with additional gifts from Canada, 28,000 shoeboxes were sent to children in the Balkans that Christmas.
Since then, Operation Christmas Child has grown tremendously.
Every year, shoebox gifts are collected, packed, and delivered to children in over 170 countries and territories, providing the joy of what may be their first gift ever and a tangible expression of God’s love.
In 2024, over 11.9 million shoebox gifts were collected worldwide, including 10.5 million from the U.S., with more than 82,000 churches participating.
For the 2025 Operation Christmas Child, shoeboxes in Logan County are being collected at Calvary Baptist Church, 1140 Rush Avenue, Bellefontaine, during National Collection Week, November 17 through 24.
Shoebox Drop-off Schedule:
- Monday, November 17th: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday, November 18th: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday, November 19th: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday, November 20th: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Friday, November 21st: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday, November 22nd: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Sunday, November 23rd: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM
- Monday, November 24th: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM
On Sunday, November 24th, volunteers will load the packed shoeboxes onto two trucks, and volunteer drivers will transport the cartons to WTLW TV-44 in Lima, Ohio, where they will be counted and processed before being loaded onto semi-trailers.
Early on Tuesday, November 25th, the semi-trailers departed for the Boone Processing Center in Boone, North Carolina, for preparation and distribution.
Through the efforts of Logan County volunteers, these gifts are delivered in Jesus’ name, bringing hope and joy to children around the world.
For more information on how to pack a shoebox, visit Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child.
