Record number of shoeboxes collected in Mid-Columbia for poor

A record number of people in the Tri-Cities and Eastern Oregon donated gift-filled shoeboxes as part of this year’s Operation Christmas Child.

The shoebox drive collected 18,084 shoebox gifts in the region — 1,270 more than a year ago.

The boxes were packed and donated by youth and adult service groups, businesses, schools, families and churches and taken to Bethel Church in Richland.

From there, they are being trucked to a Los Angeles area processing center and readied for shipment to needy children in the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, Peru and some Native American tribes, said Fay Smith, Operation Christmas Child coordinator.

Of this year’s total, 1,051 were collected in Kennewick, 220 in Richland, 207 in Pasco and 1,000 in Prosser. Another 9,295 were brought directly to Bethel Church, a regional collection center.

The shoebox drive has been going on in the Tri-Cities for about 18 years, Smith said.

The gift drive is a worldwide effort of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief agency founded by Franklin Graham to reach out to children living in areas around the world devastated by famine, floods, war and poverty.

“The gifts are much more than shoeboxes filled with toys and school supplies and hygiene items,” said Tricia MacFarlan, area team coordinator. “For many, an Operation Christmas Child shoebox may be the first gift they’ve ever received — it shows them someone does care about them and it gives them hope. It’s a wonderful way for us to show them Jesus’ love.”

The project began in the U.S. 22 years ago and involves supporters in about 10 countries including Canada, New Zealand, Japan and Great Britain. They have collectively put shoebox gifts into the hands of over 100 million children in about 100 countries.

This story was originally published December 1, 2015 at 4:19 PM with the headline "Record number of shoeboxes collected in Mid-Columbia for poor."