All students, clubs and organizations are invited to fill a shoebox (or boxes) with small gifts for Operation Christmas Child. OCC then ships the boxes to impoverished children around the world who otherwise would not receive a Christmas gift. This is a great way to fulfill some of the required service hours.
The boxes must be completed by Friday, Nov. 13, and delivered to Room 159, Murray-Herrick Campus Center (St. Paul campus), or the UST Law Admissions Suite in the School of Law building (Minneapolis campus).
Learn more about the OCC organization on the Samaritan’s Purse Web site. Additional instructions also are listed below.
How to pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox
- Use an empty standard-sized shoebox or a small plastic container. You can wrap the box (lid separately), but wrapping is not required.
- To indicate whether your gift will be for a boy or a girl and the child’s age category (2-4, 5-9 or 10-14), print out the appropriate boy or girl label available for download on the Samaritan’s Purse Web page, mark the correct age category and tape the label to the top of your box.
- Fill the box with gifts. Use the gift ideas provided on the bottom of this page.
- If possible, please donate $7 to help cover shipping and other project costs. You can give online by using the EZGIVE option on the Web page, or write a check to Samaritan’s Purse (note “OCC” on the memo line) and place it in an envelope on top of the gift items inside the box.
- Take boxes to the donation sites listed above by Nov. 13.
Some gift suggestions (or use your own ideas)
- Toys – small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky.
- School supplies – pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamp-and-ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books.
- Hygiene items – toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth.
- Other – hard candy and lollipops (double-bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, baseball caps, sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries).
- Personal note – You may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family in a separate envelope (if you include your name and address, the child may write back).
- Do not include – used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snowglobes or glass containers; aerosol cans.
For more information, e-mail Krista Griffith.
