National non-profit looks to spread Christmas cheer to kids across the world this holiday season

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A national non-profit is spreading the holiday spirit for kids, and you can help out here locally.

Samaritan’s Purse provides aid to victims of things like natural disasters and poverty in more than 100 countries.

They also host a yearly project, Operation Christmas Child, collecting donations of gifts and school supplies for kids for the holidays.

The project involves filling shoeboxes with toys, personal care items, school supplies and a big ‘wow’ item, made for a boy or a girl.

The boxes start anywhere, like right here in Michiana, and end up under the tree of a kid in a different state or country.

Samaritan's Purse is celebrating 30 years of ministry this year. This program has helped over 209 million kids worldwide in that time.

This holiday season, the non-profit hopes to spread the holiday spirit to more than 11 million kids, with the help of the community.

You can learn how to pack a shoebox using this link.

Once you’ve packed your shoe box, there are drop off sites all across Michiana.

You can find the nearest drop off location near you at this website.