This holiday season, Inside South Florida shines a light on Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a project by Samaritan’s Purse that’s been spreading holiday cheer to children across the globe since 1993. Host Cameron Dobbs, who has been involved in OCC for years, shared her passion and commitment to delivering gifts to children in need. Through OCC, volunteers pack shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, and ship them to children in hard-to-reach areas worldwide. Since its inception, OCC has impacted over 220 million children, spreading joy and kindness each Christmas.
Cameron first became involved with OCC during her school years, and her love for the project grew. By 2018, he had rallied University of Miami student-athletes to join the effort, resulting in over 4,500 shoeboxes being donated and sent to children worldwide. “I think of the joy I feel opening gifts on Christmas and want kids to experience that same joy,” Cameron shared, emphasizing the impact these gifts can have, especially for children who might be receiving their first-ever Christmas present.
To get involved, you can pack a shoebox with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies, then drop it off at a designated location. Cameron recommends affordable options like Dollar Tree or Amazon to keep the cost of filling a box around $10-$15.
The deadline to participate is November 18, and donations or direct contributions to the OCC efforts can be coordinated by contacting Cameron directly or visitingSamaritansPurse.org for general OCC information.
This year, join Inside South Florida and Operation Christmas Child in bringing joy to children around the world.
