This Week Is An Important One For Helping Kids This Christmas

The holiday season is already here. That means there will be opportunities for us to help out those who are in need. This week kicks off an opportunity to help out kids this Christmas through Samaritan's Purse. It's time for shoebox gifts.

This week marks the national collection week for Samaritan's Purse and their shoebox gift drive. There are locations in Amarillo and Canyon where you can drop off shoebox gifts that will then be distributed to children who are in need this holiday season.

The drop-off location for Amarillo is St. Stephen Church at 4600 S. Western Street.

The dropoff in Canyon is at Christ Family Fellowship at 700 4th Avenue.

Click here for drop-off times.

The idea is fairly simple and straightforward. You find a shoebox. Then you fill it with gifts. It's recommended you do one larger gift, and then fill it with smaller ones. Samaritan's Purse recommends personal care items like toothbrushes and toothpaste. They also recommend clothing, smaller toys like figurines and dolls, crafts like puzzles, and activity books.

They also encourage school supplies to be put inside the shoebox. You can find a complete guide to filling the shoebox by following this link.

Once your shoebox has been packed, you can take it to one of the drop-off locations. From there will begin the process of being distributed to children in time for the holidays. The drive actually goes worldwide. The gifts will be distributed internationally.

For more info on the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child, use this link to check out their website.