OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Beyond Our Walls | Sharing the Love of Jesus Around the World
At FAC, our calling to share the hope of Jesus extends beyond our walls and into our community and the world. Operation Christmas Child is one way our church family participates in that calling, sharing God’s love with children around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes and the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus.
What Is Operation Christmas Child?
Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a ministry of Samaritan’s Purse that provides gift-filled shoeboxes to children around the world while sharing the hope of the Gospel through local churches in receiving countries. Each shoebox is an opportunity for a child and family to experience God’s love in a tangible way and hear about Jesus through the ministry of local believers.
As part of our commitment to take the love of Jesus beyond our walls, First Alliance Church has partnered with Operation Christmas Child for many years through shoebox collection, volunteer service, and regional packing initiatives. From preparing individual shoeboxes to serving our wider community as a collection site, our congregation has many opportunities to participate in this ministry.
See Operation Christmas Child in Action
Watch this short video from Samaritan’s Purse to learn more about Operation Christmas Child and how shoebox gifts share the love of Jesus with children around the world.
How You Can Participate
Every shoebox is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus with a child around the world. Whether you enjoy choosing gifts and packing a box with your family or prefer the convenience of building one online, you can join our FAC family in this ministry.
Build a Shoebox Online
You can participate in Operation Christmas Child without shopping for and packing a physical shoebox! Choose gifts online and send a shoebox filled with gifts and the hope of Jesus to a child around the world.
Help FAC reach our goal! Start through our designated FAC goal page linked below so your online shoebox counts toward our congregation’s collective goal.
Pack a Shoebox
Choose toys, school supplies, personal care items, and other gifts to fill a shoebox for a child. Packing a physical box is a hands-on way for individuals and families to participate together, choosing gifts with care and praying for the child who will receive them.
Visit the Operation Christmas Child table in our church lobby for shoeboxes and additional information about this year’s collection season.
National Collection Week | November 16–23, 2026
Every November, churches and volunteers across the country come together to collect Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes during National Collection Week. First Alliance Church serves as a regional collection site for Northwestern Pennsylvania, helping shoeboxes from our community and surrounding areas begin their journey to children around the world.
Have a shoebox ready? Bring your filled shoeboxes to First Alliance Church during one of our collection hours below. Each box is an opportunity to share the love of Jesus and the hope of the Gospel with a child.
Collection Hours:
Monday, November 16 | 4:30–6:30pm
Tuesday, November 17 | 11:00am–1:00pm
Wednesday, November 18 | 4:30–6:30pm
Thursday, November 19 | 4:30–6:30pm
Friday, November 20 | 11:00am–1:00pm
Saturday, November 21 | 11:00am–3:00pm
Sunday, November 22 | 1:00–4:00pm
Monday, November 23 | 9:00am–12:00pm
Location: First Alliance Church of Erie | 2939 Zimmerly Road, Erie, PA 16506
Help Make Collection Week Possible
It takes many hands to receive, organize, and prepare thousands of shoeboxes for their next destination. Volunteers help welcome those dropping off boxes, organize and pack shoeboxes into shipping cartons, and load them for transport. It’s a practical way to serve our community and take the love of Jesus beyond our walls.
Interested in helping? Visit the Operation Christmas Child table in our church lobby or contact our Children’s Ministry Director Amy DiStefano (amy.distefano@facerie.org) to learn about volunteer opportunities during Collection Week.
2025 Collection Season Recap
During the 2025 Operation Christmas Child season, First Alliance Church distributed shoeboxes to our congregation, collected filled boxes throughout National Collection Week, and served as a regional collection site for Northwestern Pennsylvania.
Our FAC family packed and donated 207 shoeboxes, helping provide 207 children around the world with gifts, the Gospel, and an invitation to learn more about Jesus through local church partners.
In addition, more than 5,270 shoeboxes were received and processed at First Alliance Church during National Collection Week before being loaded onto three semi-trailers and sent on their journey around the world.
We are deeply grateful for the many volunteers who gave their time to count, organize, pray over, cartonize, and load shoeboxes throughout the week. Their faithful service helped make this ministry possible.
Thank you to everyone who participated, served, and prayed. Together, we can continue taking the love and hope of Jesus beyond our walls.