Connect Your Troop to Operation Christmas Child
National Collection Week
Nov. 15–22, 2021
2020 Troop Goal: Pack 25 Shoeboxes
In honor of its 25th anniversary year, American Heritage Girls (AHG) is sharing the #AHGOCC25 Challenge! AHG and Operation Christmas Child have set a goal for each Troop to pack 25 shoebox gifts full of toys, school supplies, and hygiene items for children in need around the world. Every Troop that meets the 25-shoebox challenge goal will earn a commemorative patch for their participants. The Troop will also be entered into a drawing to send an adult member on an International Operation Christmas Child Vision Trip. Troops must enter their shoebox counts and number of patches earned using the collection form above by November 30, 2020 to qualify.
“The altruistic act of kindness in building and sending a shoebox molds the hearts of our future servant leaders while building empathy for their international sisters and brothers. I can’t think of a better way for kids to share the love of Christ while praying for the impact of their gift from generation to generation.”
—Patti Garibay
American Heritage Girls Founder and Executive Director
Get Your Troop Involved
Order Materials
- Visit our Resources and Ideas Hub
- Receive FREE materials
- Order preprinted shoeboxes to fill with gifts
- Download videos to show to your Troop
Pack and Assemble
- Collect shoeboxes or plastic containers and fill them with gender- and age-appropriate items. If you wrap your shoebox, be sure to wrap the lid separately from the rest of the box. Set a goal for your Troop and start collecting today!
- Learn how to pack a shoebox.
- Host a packing party. Use our step-by-step guide to customize your packing party experience and to order free materials.
Cover Ministry Costs
- Make a $9 donation for each shoebox you prepare to help cover shipping and program expenses.
- If you give online through Follow Your Box, you can discover the destination of your shoebox gift.
Drop Off
- Place a rubber band around each shoebox and bring them to one of nearly 5,000 drop-off locations open during National Collection Week, the third week in November.
- Make sure to indicate that you’re with American Heritage Girls when you fill out the drop-off log. We want to celebrate this partnership with you and AHG!
Build Shoeboxes Online
- Invite your Troop to virtually pack shoeboxes at Build a Shoebox Online. In just a few clicks, select items you’d like to include in your gift and include a personal note and photo. We’ll pack and ship your shoebox for you for just $25.
- Create your own custom webpage for your Troop to track their progress towards a shoebox goal! At the above website, click “Create a Goal Page” to get started.
Host a Guest Speaker
- Contact your Operation Christmas Child regional office to be put in contact with potential speakers, including local volunteers, youth who helped deliver shoebox gifts, and even shoebox recipients.
Disciple Children Through The Greatest Journey
- After children receive shoebox gifts, many are invited to participate in our 12-lesson follow-up discipleship program, The Greatest Journey. During these Bible lessons, a trained teacher/mentor instructs them how to follow Christ and share Him with others.
Disciple a Child ⇢
Share Posts with Operation Christmas Child
- Post photos of your Troop participating in Operation Christmas Child to our social media using the hashtag #AHGOCC25.
Recognize Participation
Use the patches below to recognize girls for their participation in Operation Christmas Child. Give the logo patch the first year they participate and commemorative patches for each subsequent year.
Operation Christmas Child Patch
Order the Operation Christmas Child patch to recognize girls for their first year of packing shoeboxes as a Troop.
Commemorative Patch
Order the 2020 commemorative patch from Operation Christmas Child to recognize your Troop participants for packing shoebox gifts this year.
Commemorative 25th Anniversary Patch
Meet the 25-shoebox challenge goal and your Troop participants will receive a commemorative Operation Christmas Child/American Heritage Girls patch.
Please enter your shoebox count and number of patches earned on this collection form ⇢
Helpful Links
Have questions or suggestions? Email occinfo@samaritan.org
