Grace Fellowship is the official drop-off location for “Operation Christmas Child,” a ministry of the Christian organization Samaritan’s Purse. The goal of Operation Christmas Child is to provide gift boxes to needy children across the globe, and also bring the gospel message of Jesus Christ to hundreds of countries.

Everyone is invited to participate by filling an empty cardboard or plastic shoe box with gifts for a boy or girl, ages 2 through 14. Those boxes can then be dropped off at Grace Fellowship at the following times: Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, from noon to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Sunday, from noon to 3 p.m.; and Monday, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Carol Hochstettler is serving as the local center coordinator, and said this is the first year that Atmore is participating. Approximately 20 volunteers are giving their time to staff the drop-off location at Grace Fellowship, and there are free refreshments available.

“We take a lot for granted in this country,” Hochstetler said. “As a mother, I can’t imagine my children not having gifts at Christmas. But for some of these kids, this might be the only gift they get that year.”

Some of the suggested items for the shoeboxes include:

• Toys — such as a doll, a deflated soccer ball with an air pump, a stuffed animal, miniature cars, musical instruments, jump ropes, puzzles.

• School supplies — pencils, crayons, pens, notebooks, coloring books.

• Non-liquid hygiene items — toothbrushes, bar soap, washcloths, combs.

• Accessories — socks, hats, T-shirts, flip-flops, hair bands, sunglasses.

• A personal note and photo of the giver and his or her family; if a name and address is included, the child who receives the shoebox may be able to write back.

Donators are asked not to include used or damaged items, war-related toys, seeds, chocolate or food, out-of-date hard candy, liquids or lotions, medications or vitamins, breakable glass items and aerosol cans.

Hochstetler said that citizens can participate in three ways — by bringing a filled shoebox, by donating small items for shoeboxes (which can be used to help fill boxes that are short on items), or by donating to the organization. It costs $7 to ship every box, and donations help Samaritan’s Purse meet that need.

Hochstetler said the local group’s goal is to ship 500 shoeboxes. As of Tuesday afternoon, they had a little less than 200.

One of the important benefits to the Operation Christmas Child program is that every child who receives a box will also receive a 12-week course about the gospel and Christianity.

“Many governments who don’t allow religion in their countries still allow these shoeboxes to be delivered there,” Hochstetler said. “This is a vehicle to open the door to Christianity in many other nations.”

For more information on the program, call Grace Fellowship at (251) 368-4463.