Strathmore steps up to assist Operation Christmas Child

Generous people in Strathmore and area recently helped Samaritan’s Purse collect over a half-million gift-filled shoeboxes from Canadians.
The Strathmore collection centre received a total of 818 boxes to add to Alberta’s contribution of 113,169 shoeboxes. A total of 517,437 shoeboxes from across Canada with toys, hygiene items, school supplies and many other items were collected during the 2018 Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign that recently ended.
“We are extremely thankful to Canadians, many of whom are unemployed or facing significant economic uncertainty, for their generosity in continuing to support this vital program year after year,” said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada.
“Each shoebox that someone fills is an opportunity to show hurting children that they are loved by God and by us, and the gifts Canadians have provided will once again bless children – many of whom have never before received a present.”
Distribution of the shoeboxes in the developing world has already begun. During the next few weeks, children in Central America, Haiti, western Africa and Ukraine will be receiving shoeboxes packed by caring Canadians.
The 517,437 Canadian boxes donated in 2018 – including 11,073 packed online at PackaBox.ca – were part of a worldwide total of 10,623,776 collected in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, Japan, Germany and Australia.
Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered more than 167 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease and famine.