PRESS RELEASE:

THE MID-TEXAS WEST AREA COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD TO HELP 6575 CHILDREN IN NEED

Killeen Tx., August 20, 2025—Volunteers from around the Mid-Texas West Area will gather to kick off collection season—with a goal of packing more than 6575 shoeboxes with fun toys, school supplies and personal care items. For more than 20 years,  Mid-Texas West Area residents have been a part of Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse that shares the true meaning of Christmas with children in need around the world. Each shoebox gift is an opportunity to share the loves of Jesus with children around the world. These gift-filled shoeboxes will contribute to the project’s global goal of reaching more than 12 million children in Jesus’ Name.

The Mid TX West Area team is inviting those who enjoy packing shoebox gifts for children in need around the world to a free event, a Project Leaders Workshop on Saturday,  September 13th from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Covenant Life Church  at 4001 E Elms Road in Killeen.  

Gather together with others who enjoy packing, collecting and sending shoebox gifts to children in need through this global, evangelical project with Operation Christmas Child a project of Samaritan's Purse. Be encouraged to continue giving, knowing the impact the gifts and great hope have made on the lives of those who have received gifts. Learn tips to increase shoeboxes, visit the Craft Exhibit, enjoy a light snack and get a chance to win a great door prize. 

Guest Speaker, Kathy Dutton of the Killeen/ Temple Area, will share highlights of her trip to Namibia to hand a shoebox gift to a child and share the love of Jesus Christ with them. 

Drop-off locations across Killeen and in the Mid-Texas West Area will be the first stop on a journey across the globe for thousands of gifts packed by local families. Together with the church worldwide, Operation Christmas Child will collect and deliver these gifts to children in need overseas in more than 100 countries.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call Area Coordinator, Kirk Bailey at 254-421-2329 or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. National Collection Week is Nov. 17 – 24. Participants can donate $10 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan's Purse, seeks to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world and, together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 232 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

MEDIA NOTE: For complete media materials including high-resolution downloadable photos, visit samaritanspurse.org/occnewsroom.