Hickory – This month, sites in the Hickory area will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child’s National Collection Week, Nov. 18-25.

Hickory families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into fun gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items. The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.

This year, Hickory-area residents hope to collect more than 27,880 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

AREA COLLECTION SITES:

Hickory, NC – First Baptist Church, 339 2nd Avenue NW, Hickory NC 28601-4943
Mon, Nov. 18: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 25: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Taylorsville, NC – First Baptist Church, 321 W Main Avenue, Taylorsville NC 28681-2542
Mon, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 25: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Newton, NC – Catawba Valley Baptist Church, 3390 Shepherd Road, Maiden NC 28650-9137
Mon, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 18: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Wed, Nov. 20: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM Mon, Nov. 25: 9:00 AM – 12:00 AM

Hickory, NC – Freedom Biker Church, 1385 33rd Street SE, Conover NC 28613-8016
Mon, Nov. 18: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Mon, Nov. 18: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Tue, Nov. 19: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Tue, Nov. 19: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Wed, Nov. 20: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM; Mon, Nov. 25: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Granite Falls, NC – Day 3 Church, 4365 Hickory Boulevard, Granite Falls NC 28630-1992
Mon, Nov. 18: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM; Sun, Nov. 24: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 25: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Morganton, NC – First Assembly of God, 1955 US 70 E, Morganton NC 28655-8951
Mon, Nov. 18: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 25: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Lenoir, NC – Waterlife Church, 1007 Morganton Blvd, Lenoir NC 28645-8200
Mon, Nov. 18: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM; Sun, Nov. 24: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM; Mon, Nov. 25: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Morganton, NC – Praise Assembly of God, 873 Us 70 W, Morganton NC 28655
Mon, Nov. 18: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Tue, Nov. 19: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Wed, Nov. 20: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; Thu, Nov. 21: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Fri, Nov. 22: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Sat, Nov. 23: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM; un, Nov. 24: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM; on, Nov. 25: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 704-583-1463, or visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. Participants can donate $9 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 is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is 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 168 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.