Despite a global pandemic, residents of Salisbury shared the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season.

Generosity throughout Salisbury resulted in 24,532 shoebox gifts collected at curbside drop-off locations for Operation Christmas Child, a project of the International Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. Combined with those collected from the United States and other partnering countries, the ministry is right now in the process of sending more than 9.1 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide!

Generous donors in Salisbury transformed empty shoeboxes into treasured gifts filled with school supplies, hygiene items, and fun toys. Each gift-filled shoebox is a tangible expression of God’s love and is often the first gift these children have ever received. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 186 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

It’s not too late to make a difference! Though our Salisbury drop-off locations are closed until Nov. 15 – 22, anyone can still be a part of this life-changing project by conveniently packing a shoebox gift online at: samaritanspurse.org/buildonline. If you would like more information about the project and how to get involved, please visit our website, samaritanspurse.org/occ or give us a call at 704-583-1463.

Thank you again to everyone in Salisbury who participated in this project and for those who do so year after year. These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message to children worldwide that they are loved and not forgotten.

— Susan Porter

Statesville