Two sites in Jackson County 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. 12 through 19.

The Samaritan’s Purse project partners with churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God’s love to children affected by war, disaster, disease, poverty and famine. For many of these children, it will be the first gift they have ever received.

This year, the goal is for Jackson County residents to collect more than 13,500 gifts to contribute to the 2018 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Participants may donate $9 per shoebox gift online through “Follow Your Box” and receive a tracking label to discover its destination. Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browse samaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child’s specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.

Drop-off locations, days and times in Jackson County are:

• Medora Wesleyan Church, 191 S. David St., Medora, 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 12, 13 14, 16, 17 and 19; 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 15; and 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 18
• Cornerstone Community Church, 1088 Sarasota Drive, Seymour, 3 to 6 p.m. Nov. 12; 3:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 13, 14 and 15; 3 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 14; 4 to 7 p.m. Nov. 16; 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 17 and 18; and 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 19

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham.

Since 1993, the project has collected and delivered more than 157 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

Information: samaritanspurse.org/occ