Well over 1,300 shoeboxes of gifts were donated this year by residents of Escalon and the surrounding area, all heading to children in need throughout the world.
Operation Christmas Child wrapped up its effort for this year on Monday, Nov. 24 at Heritage Church in Escalon, after a very successful collection week.
“We did 1,359 boxes total,” said Operation Christmas Child local coordinator Pam Mendez, reporting after the last truckload was packed up and sent on its way Monday afternoon. “I am really excited for this year.”
Mendez said the total was above last year’s, which came in at 1,141 boxes, and the brightly colored shoeboxes are packed up for both boys and girls, with small toys, toiletries and other gifts tucked in. They are distributed throughout the country and around the world to children in need through Samaritan’s Purse, with a message of God’s love and hope included.
Some donors, in addition to packing a shoebox, include a $10 gift to cover the shipping.
“Some people just donate money to help cover that cost,” Mendez added.
Heritage Church was the collection site/drop off location in Escalon and the site was open for various hours throughout the past week.
Dropping off three boxes on Saturday morning, Nov. 22 was Escalon resident Dianne Costa.
“This was my first time doing it and it was fun,” Costa said, adding that she learned of the program through Heritage Church and wanted to get involved.
“I did three boxes, I have three grandsons so I did boxes for three kids,” Costa said. “I did two girls and a boy because I have all grandsons.”
Seizing the opportunity to purchase some gift items for girls made it that much more fun for her, Costa said, as she helped volunteer Cindy Kruse finish packing all the items into her boxes at the collection site to get them ready for shipping out on Saturday.
Operation Christmas Child has been in operation for more than three decades, collecting and then delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide.
Mendez said she couldn’t be more pleased with the 2025 effort.
“It was great,” she said of seeing an increase in boxes donated. “I’ve had so much help, too, it has been awesome.”
