NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Operation Christmas Child has officially launched National Collection Week, running November 17–24, with nearly 5,000 drop-off locations open across the country, including many throughout Tennessee.
Volunteers are gathering gift-filled shoeboxes that will be delivered to children living in difficult circumstances around the world.
Since 1993, the project has collected more than 232 million shoebox gifts, partnering with churches globally to share practical items, toys and messages of hope. This year, the goal is to reach 12 million children.
Participants can pack a shoebox individually or as a group and use the “Follow Your Box” option to track where their gift goes.
A searchable tool helps families find the nearest drop-off location by city or ZIP code.
This is a story I immediately went home and showed my boys - young athletes with big dreams. The Vanderbilt football team's success has stolen the spotlight - what I love about Steve Layman's story is he reveals the individual hardships it took to get there. As Clark Lea says, "we all have scuff marks." This team proves perseverance pays off!
- Carrie Sharp
