Donations being collected for Operation Christmas Child through Nov. 21

As the Thanksgiving season approaches, many families and children are giving thanks and giving back — to children in need around the world through Operation Christmas Child.

Participants can find the nearest drop-off location and hours of operation as they make plans to drop off their shoebox gifts. The online lookup tool is searchable by city or ZIP code. Signs at each location will identify the drop off. Locations serving ​Amarillo participants are open in different areas of West Texas to collect shoebox gifts, including Christ Family Fellowship, 700 4th Ave. in Canyon and the Stonebridge Fellowship Church, 1203 Quincy St. in Plainview, according to the Samaritan's Purse website, https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/drop-off-locations/ .

This effort aims "to send God’s love to millions of boys and girls around the world through the Samaritan’s Purse project," a news release says. The campaign ends Monday, Nov. 21. Throughout the project’s National Collection Week, area shoebox donors will contribute to the 2022 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Shoebox gifts prepared by donors and filled with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies may be dropped off now during National Collection Week, with more than 4,500 drop-off sites open across the U.S. The Samaritan’s Purse project said it will collect its 200-millionth shoebox this year.

Operation Christmas Child has been collecting and delivering shoebox gifts to children worldwide for nearly three decades, according to the release. In 2022, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. Find a step-by-step guide on the group's "How to Pack a Shoebox" webpage.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Donations being collected for Operation Christmas Child Nov. 14-21