Salt Lake City’s Calvary Chapel completed its annual arts, crafts and bake sale, a community-driven event aimed at supporting a global cause. The sale, on Oct. 19 and 20, featured locally made goods, with all proceeds going toward Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse that shares the spirit of Christmas with children in need around the world.

Calvary Salt Lake, located at 460 W. Century Drive, generated over $11,000 for the organization during the sale. 

Operation Christmas Child focuses on filling shoeboxes with school supplies, hygiene products, and toys, and aims to reach more than 11 million children this year. Each shoebox delivered represents a piece of hope and joy for children, along with the message of the Christmas season.

“This year’s goal is 2,000 shoeboxes which means we need $20,000 as there is a suggested donation of $10 per shoebox to cover the cost of shipping, outreach event materials and training local churches to share the gospel in a child friendly manner,” said Alison Long, regional area coordinator for the Operation Christmas Child Southwest region. “Members of the church congregation will cover the remaining balance.” 

For those who would like to participate but didn’t make it to the sale, there are various ways to get involved. Participants can pack their own shoeboxes and donate $10 online through the “Follow Your Box” program to track where their gift ends up. Those who prefer a simpler option can build a virtual shoebox by selecting gifts, adding a personal note, and sending it through the Samaritan’s Purse website. These virtual boxes are often sent to hard-to-reach regions, ensuring that even children in the most remote areas receive a special Christmas surprise.

Since its founding in 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 198 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 170 countries and territories. For more information on how to participate or to build a shoebox online, visit samaritanspurse.org/occ. λ