Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, is collecting items to fill shoeboxes to deliver to children overseas living in extreme poverty or affected by war, disease and natural disaster.

More than 150,000 volunteers including families, churches and other groups are contributing to this worldwide Christmas project.

In 2016, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach 12 million children, with more than 5,700 coming from Kalispell and surrounding cities.

Today through Monday, Nov. 21, several area locations will serve as collection sites for local residents to drop off these gifts.

• Kalispell — Easthaven Baptist Church, 2010 Whitefish Stage Road.
• Bigfork — First Baptist Church of Bigfork, 6933 Montana 35.
• Whitefish — Christ Lutheran Church, 5150 River Lakes Parkway.

Items needed include school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and fun toys. For complete information about how to pack a shoebox and hours that each location is accepting them during the week, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.

Also, by going online and giving the suggested donation of $7 per shoebox gift, participants can then follow their box to discover where in the world it will be delivered.

Samaritan’s Purse is an international Christian relief and evangelism organization. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories.

For more information, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ.