It’s National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child and Escalon Covenant Church, 1155 Escalon Ave., is the local collection site for shoeboxes that will help make the holidays brighter for kids all over the world.

Local residents are dropping off shoebox gifts filled with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items at the church all this week. The Samaritan's Purse project will deliver these gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. Residents can stop by and pick up a shoebox, purchase items at local stores, pack it up and return it up until next Monday, Nov. 20 to be part of the operation.

Escalon families can help make an impact in the lives of children in need by donating the colorfully wrapped shoebox gifts to be sent to children around the world. Many kids who receive these shoeboxes filled with small items have never received a gift before and have very little to call their own.

The local collection hours include: Wednesday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 17, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 19, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; and Monday, Nov. 20, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

More than 150,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups are joining forces to contribute to the largest Christmas project of its kind. In 2017, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 12 million children.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child or to view gift suggestions, call 714-432-7030 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can also donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 146 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.