A local organization is helping send holiday gifts to children in need all over the world.
This week is collection week for Operation Christmas Child Central Coast.
The organization is collecting shoeboxes full of gifts from local churches, businesses, and residents that will go overseas to children in need.
Kids in 170 countries will receive gifts from the operation.
“These young people come to the United States, they received a shoebox when they were 4, 5, 6, or 7, some of them make it to the United States and they say this made such an impact on my life, I’m going to start packing shoeboxes myself. That’s how much of an impact it made on a 3, 4,5,6,7 year old child, said Lori Lewis, an Operation Christmas Child drop-off team leader.
Shoeboxes normally include school supplies and one toy.
Operation Christmas Child officials say they expect to collect 14,000 shoeboxes on the Central Coast this year.
