South Central Virginia area families, churches and groups are not waiting until Thanksgiving Day to express gratitude.

Instead, they are giving back by lovingly packing gifts of joy for children around the world living in extreme poverty or affected by war, disease and natural disaster. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received. Nov. 14-21 is National Collection Week and thousands of South Central Virginia area residents will pack shoebox gifts filled with a “Wow” item — like a doll or soccer ball — and other fun toys, school supplies, hygiene items and notes of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of the international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan’s Purse, will deliver the gifts to children in need overseas. After being dropped off at your collection sites, these boxes will make the long journey overseas, traveling by any means necessary — boat, plane, train and even elephant — until they reach the hands of children in need.

In 2016, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach more than 11 million children. Since 1993, the project has delivered shoebox gifts to more than 124 million children in over 150 countries and territories.

The collection site coordinator for the Farmville and Keysville sites is Catherine Mylum, (434) 223-8462, and Alan Gough for the Buckingham site.