This month, sites in the Farmville 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.

Farmville families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoe boxes 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, Farmville-area residents hope to collect more than 8,296 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Drop off sites include Heritage Baptist Church, 700 Milnwood Road, Farmville on Nov. 18-25, Monday-Friday, 9-11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday noon-3 p.m.; and Bethlehem Baptist Church, 393 Winfrey Inez Road, Dillwyn, Monday-Friday, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 2-5 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 25, 8-10 a.m.