Ways you can Participate in Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child is one of the largest Christian mission efforts in the world — and one of the most accessible. You don't need to travel overseas, raise a thousand dollars, or have any special skills. You just need a shoebox and the willingness to fill it.
But there's a lot more you can do than pack a box. Here's a complete guide to every way you can get involved — from your kitchen table to a processing center to year-round volunteering.
1. Pack a Shoebox
This is the most direct way to participate — and the one most people start with. Choose a shoebox, pick one of six age/gender categories, fill it with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, and drop it off during National Collection Week.
The six age/gender categories:
- Girls Age 2–4
- Girls Age 5–9
- Girls Age 10–14
- Boys Age 2–4
- Boys Age 5–9
- Boys Age 10–14
Pick one. Everything you pack should be appropriate for that specific child.
Your WOW Gift
Every great shoebox needs a WOW gift — the anchor item that makes a child's eyes go wide. The best WOW gift for any OCC shoebox is the Shoebox Jesus Doll: a 10-inch plush Jesus designed specifically for OCC, sized to fit perfectly inside any shoebox, safe for all ages, and requiring no batteries, no language, and no assembly. It works for any of the six categories.
Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan's Purse, wrote personally after receiving a donation of these dolls: "These are great and the children will love them. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and partnership." Put Jesus in the box first. Build everything else around Him.
The Ultimate Gift Guide to Packing OCC Shoeboxes ------>
Pro Tips for Packing OCC Shoeboxes -------->
2. Build a Shoebox Online
Can't get to a store? No time to shop? OCC's Build a Shoebox Online option lets you select gifts matched to a specific age and gender, add a personal photo and note, and have the whole thing assembled and shipped — in less than five minutes. Available year-round.
3. Host a Packing Party
One of the most fun and high-impact ways to participate. Organize a packing event at your home, workplace, school, or church. Everyone packs together, you pray over the boxes as a group, then someone drives them to the nearest drop-off location.
Packing parties work for:
- Family gatherings (Thanksgiving weekend is perfect — right before National Collection Week)
- Office teams and workplace giving campaigns
- Small groups and Bible studies
- Birthday parties (guests bring shoebox items instead of gifts)
- Youth groups and kids' ministries
OCC provides free promotional materials and resources to help you organize a packing event at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
4. Volunteer at a Drop-Off Location
During National Collection Week, at nearly 5,000 locations across the nation, volunteers welcome and pray with people who drop off their shoeboxes. Other volunteers fill cartons and load trucks with the millions of boxes collected. Approximately 98,000 people serve in these roles during the third week of November.
This is a one-day commitment — a few hours during collection week — and it's deeply meaningful. You're the last person in the U.S. to touch those boxes before they begin their journey overseas.
Find your nearest drop-off location at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
5. Volunteer at a Processing Center
This is the behind-the-scenes engine of the whole operation — and one of the most powerful volunteer experiences you can have. Tens of thousands of volunteers serve annually at OCC's eight U.S. processing centers in Atlanta, Aurora, Boone, Charlotte, and additional locations. Volunteers inspect boxes, remove prohibited items, tape and label shoeboxes, and prepare them for international shipment.
Individuals and groups of any size are welcome. Register at occvolunteersignup.com.
Special opportunity: OCC offers Latino Nights at processing centers across the country — a special volunteer event for Spanish-speaking communities.
6. Assemble Online Shoeboxes (January–February)
After National Collection Week, OCC invites volunteers back in January and February to assemble shoeboxes ordered through Build a Shoebox Online. This is a unique, active experience available in Aurora, Illinois, with shifts running Tuesday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. A great option if you miss the November window.
7. Volunteer Year-Round
OCC operates 365 days a year and needs volunteers beyond box processing. Year-round roles include Church Relations, leadership, logistics, community relations, media relations, prayer mobilization, administrative support, and student relations.
Learn about year-round roles at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
8. Become a Drop-Off Location Coordinator
Go beyond staffing a table — become the local coordinator who organizes the drop-off site, recruits volunteers, manages box counts, and ensures your community's boxes make it to the processing center on time. Contact your regional OCC office through samaritanspurse.org to get started.
9. Adopt a Shoebox
Not everyone who packs a box can afford the $10 shipping fee. By adopting a shoebox, you cover the shipping cost for someone else — helping deliver the Gospel to boys and girls in more than 100 countries. Adopt at samaritanspurse.org.
10. Donate Warehouse Space
OCC needs empty warehouse space each fall to use as a processing center — facilities from 30,000 to 100,000 square feet, ideally near Atlanta. If you or your organization has the space, contact Samaritan's Purse directly at samaritanspurse.org.
11. Register Your Church as a Collection Point
If you lead a church or are involved in church leadership, register as an official OCC drop-off location during National Collection Week. Most of the nearly 5,000 locations across all 50 states are churches. Becoming one puts your congregation at the center of your community's mission participation. Register at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
12. Pray
Listed last — not an afterthought. Over 541,000 volunteers worldwide make this mission run. Prayer is what makes it matter. Join OCC's prayer network at samaritanspurse.org. Pray over the boxes your church collects. Pray specifically for the child who will open yours.
A mission without prayer is just logistics.
Where to Drop Off Your Shoebox
During National Collection Week — the third week of November each year — nearly 5,000 drop-off locations open across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Find the nearest one at samaritanspurse.org/occ.
One More Thing: What Goes in the Box Matters
In 2026, Operation Christmas Child hopes to reach 12.8 million children. That's 12.8 million kids opening a box — possibly the only gift they receive this year.
What's in that box matters. But nothing matters more than whether Jesus is in there.
The Shoebox Jesus Doll was built for exactly this moment — a soft, safe, beautiful representation of Jesus that fits inside any shoebox, works for any child, in any country, in any language. As low as $9. Ready to ship.
Last updated: August 2026