The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to help fill Christmas shoebox gifts for children overseas this October. In a Facebook post Friday, the department announced it is collecting donated items for Operation Christmas Child throughout the month at its headquarters in Hernando.
The sheriff’s office said a simple gift can bring a smile to a child who may have very little, and it thanked the community in advance for helping spread “love, hope, and Christmas joy” to children around the world.
How to Donate to the Christmas Shoebox Drive
Donations can be dropped off at the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, 3091 Industrial Drive West in Hernando, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The drive runs through the month of October.
The department is asking for items from the Operation Christmas Child gift list, including:
Small toys and stuffed animals
School supplies
Hygiene items
Clothing and accessories
Balls and outdoor toys
Crafts, puzzles and activity items
Books and other appropriate gifts
“Every item makes a difference,” the sheriff’s office wrote in its announcement.
About Operation Christmas Child
Operation Christmas Child is a project of the international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. Volunteers and groups pack shoeboxes with toys, school supplies and personal care items, and the boxes are shipped to children in other countries. Families who want to pack their own boxes, or who want to check which items are allowed, can find the official packing guidelines on the Samaritan’s Purse website, which the sheriff’s office linked in its post.
Giving the gifts to the sheriff’s office is a simple way for residents across DeSoto County, from Southaven and Olive Branch to Horn Lake, Walls and Hernando, to take part without packing a full box themselves. The department will gather the donated items for the shoeboxes.
A Season of Community Outreach
The shoebox drive is the latest community effort from the sheriff’s office, which regularly shares outreach events, safety tips and department news on its official Facebook page. With the holidays less than three months away, the drive gives residents an early chance to start their Christmas giving close to home.
Anyone with questions about the drive can contact the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office at (662) 469-8027.
