HOUGHTON – This month, sites in the Houghton 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.

Houghton 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, Houghton-area residents hope to collect more than 10,000 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

“I love seeing the local community rally together for a global impact,” said Regional Director David Zimmerman. “We see all ages getting involved – and more and more every year.”

Area Collection Sites:

Gladstone, MI – Grace Church

528 28th Street

Gladstone MI 49837-2331

Mon, Nov. 18: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sault Sainte Marie, MI – First Church of Christ

300 W Spruce Street

Sault Sainte Marie MI 49783-1846

Mon, Nov. 18: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Dollar Bay, MI – Bethany Baptist Church

48544 Main Street

Dollar Bay MI 49922-9749

Mon, Nov. 18: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 6 a.m. – 8 a.m.

Rudyard, MI – Rudyard Bible Church

11124 W Main Street

Rudyard MI 49780

Mon, Nov. 18: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Wetmore, MI – Munising Baptist Church and Schools

N 6285 Connors Road

Wetmore MI 49895

Mon, Nov. 18: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Iron Mountain, MI – First Covenant Church

125 E H Street

Iron Mountain MI 49801-4757

Mon, Nov. 18: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Marquette, MI – Bethel Baptist Church

829 Grove Street

Marquette MI 49855-9440

Mon, Nov. 18: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Mc Millan, MI – Lakefield Baptist Church

24230 County Road 98

Mc Millan MI 49853-9379

Mon, Nov. 18: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Stephenson, MI – Fellowship Bible Church

W5639 Country Road G-12

Stephenson MI 49887-8857

Mon, Nov. 18: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 6 a.m. – 8 a.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Crystal Falls, MI – Lakeview Bible Church

1211 US HWY 2

Crystal Falls MI 49920

Mon, Nov. 18: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Saint Ignace, MI – Glen Memorial Baptist Church

219 Truckey Street

Saint Ignace MI 49781-1504

Mon, Nov. 18: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 6:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

Cooks, MI – Cooks Congregational Church

1050s County Road 442

Cooks MI 49817-0052

Mon, Nov. 18: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Tue, Nov. 19: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Wed, Nov. 20: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Thu, Nov. 21: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Fri, Nov. 22: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Sat, Nov. 23: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Sun, Nov. 24: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Mon, Nov. 25: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

For additional drop-off locations visit our drop-off locator online.

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 937-374-0761, 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.