A child in El Salvador checking out their Canadian-packed Operation Christmas Child shoebox. (Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

Operation Christmas Child

Red Deer residents pack more than 2,000 shoeboxes for children in need

Feb 9, 2022 | 2:30 PM

Despite the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19, Red Deerians and their fellow Canadians lovingly packed 413,875 shoeboxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and many other items during the recently concluded 2021 Operation Christmas Child shoebox campaign.

Organizers say that’s an increase of more than 40,000 over 2020’s total.

Distribution of the shoeboxes around the world has already begun, add officials, noting that during the next few weeks, children in Central America and western Africa will be receiving shoeboxes packed by caring Canadians.

The 413,875 boxes donated in 2021—including tens of thousands of boxes packed online at PackaBox.ca—were part of a worldwide total of 10.5 million collected in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Finland, South Korea, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.

In Red Deer, 2,227 shoeboxes were packed for children in need.

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In total, Alberta residents packed 80,121 shoeboxes in 2021, an increase of seven per cent from 2020’s 74,791 total.

(Supplied)

“In a year filled with uncertainty, we praise God for the opportunity to continue reaching children around the world with gift-filled shoeboxes that bring so much joy,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse. “These gifts provide a tangible expression of love and open doors for sharing the life-changing hope of Jesus Christ.”

Officials say thousands of Canadians are taking advantage of Operation Christmas Child’s internet option that enables them to pack shoeboxes all year round at PackaBox.ca. Canadians can choose shoebox gift items while also uploading personal notes and photos.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered almost 200 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 170 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease, and famine.