Corinth shoebox drop-off hours begin Monday, Nov. 16, as Operation Christmas Child opens its National Collection Week across the country. Three churches in Alcorn, Prentiss and Tishomingo counties are listed as local sites where families, churches and civic groups can hand in gift-filled shoeboxes through the morning of Monday, Nov. 23.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, the North Carolina-based Christian relief organization. Its drop-off locator shows one site in each of the three counties: Farmington Baptist Church near Corinth, Gaston Baptist Church in Booneville and New Life Church in Iuka. Each site keeps its own hours, and they change from day to day, so it is worth checking the schedule before loading the car.
Corinth shoebox drop-off: Farmington Baptist Church
The Alcorn County site is Farmington Baptist Church, 84 County Road 106A, Corinth. Listed hours:
Monday, Nov. 16: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 17 through Friday, Nov. 20: 4 to 7 p.m. each day
New Life Church, 1360 Constitution Drive, Iuka (Tishomingo County):
Monday, Nov. 16: 4 to 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 17: noon to 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 18: 4 to 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 19: noon to 2 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 20: 7 to 11 a.m.
Saturday, Nov. 21: 1 to 3 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 22: 3 to 5 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 23: 7 to 9 a.m.
Residents near the state line also have options just outside the coverage area. The locator lists First Baptist Church in Selmer, Tenn., and First Baptist Church in Red Bay, Ala., among the next-closest sites.
How to pack a shoebox
Samaritan’s Purse says to start with an average-size cardboard or plastic shoebox. If you want to wrap it, cover the box and the lid separately so it can still be opened. The organization describes a typical box as one filled with quality toys, school supplies and personal care items.
Decide whether the box is for a boy or a girl and pick an age category, then mark both on the label.
Labels can be printed from the Samaritan’s Purse website. Do not cover the barcode with tape, because that can interfere with scanning.
The organization suggests a $10 donation per box, which it says covers shipping, processing and other project costs. Giving online activates tracking, so the packer can find out where the box was sent.
A printable drop-off form is available online to save time at the site.
According to Samaritan’s Purse, more than 4,800 drop-off locations open nationwide during National Collection Week, which takes place the third week of November each year. The shoeboxes are delivered to children in more than 100 countries through local church partners.
If you miss collection week
Hours and sites can change, so confirm the details in the official locator before making the drive, especially for the short morning windows on the final Monday. Anyone who misses the local deadline can still mail a box to one of the organization’s permanent centers or build one online through the Samaritan’s Purse website.
Jon R Myers is the executive editor of Alcorn County News and the founder of the Mississippi News Group, which he started in 2013 to cover communities across North Mississippi. He also founded the Mississippi Sports Group in 2006, which grew from a single community publication into a statewide network covering high school and college athletics. He reports on local government, public safety, schools and community life in Corinth and Alcorn County, working from public meetings, agency records and interviews with the people involved. Contact him at editor@alcornnewsms.com with news tips or corrections. For a correction, include the article link and supporting source material.
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