Photo of children opening Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes

Operation Christmas Child

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to children worldwide through the “Power of a Simple Gift.” These shoebox gifts can not only meet a specific need of a child but also provide opportunities previously unavailable, like attending school. Shoebox gifts also provide children with the opportunity to experience unconditional love, grace, hope and feelings of value and worth all while shining a light into the darkness surrounding them. Each year we collect thousands of shoebox gifts, brought to us by local churches, youth groups, schools, MOPS groups, 4H chapters, scout troops, and individuals from our surrounding communities. We are celebrating our 22nd year as a collection site for the Upper Midwest region of Operation Christmas Child. In the past 20 years we have seen over 155,000 shoeboxes pass through our doors and out into the world impacting over 1,000,000 individuals worldwide.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 198 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 170 countries and territories.

Photo of children opening Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes

See the Impact: #ShoeboxStories

National Collection Week is November 13-20, 2023

Electro’s goal for 2023: 3,200 shoeboxes

Central MN’s goal (6-county area) for 2023: 11,200 shoeboxes

Photos Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse