Press Release

Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box time is here.

This is a ministry that collects shoe box gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies, clothing and hygiene items and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way.

For many of these children, the gift-filled shoe box is the first gift they have ever received.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 220 million shoe box gifts to children in more than 170 countries and territories around the world.

If you are interested in learning more about this mission or joining this mission and filling a shoe box, you may contact the First United Methodist Church in Nebraska City at 402-873-3821.

You can stop by the church at 1023 First Avenue to pick up a shoe box and a list of suggested items for the shoe box.

The shoe boxes can be returned to the church any time before Nov. 17, 2024 which is the final collection day. The shoe boxes will be delivered around the world by local churches.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham.

Samaritan’s Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. Samaritan’s Purse was one of the first relief organization to provide humanitarian aid when Ukraine was invaded.

Samaritan’s Purse is currently providing relief efforts in the southeast United States following hurricanes Helene and Milton. A son of two Nebraska City First United Methodist Church members is currently volunteering for Samaritan’s Purse following the recent hurricanes.

For more information, people can look online at samaritanspurse.org.