FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10-19-09 720AM

Antioch Church on The Rock (ACOTR) is partnering with Operation Christmas Child, an outreach of Samaritan’s Purse International as a Relay Center for the East Bay, collecting shoeboxes filled with gifts to be delivered worldwide to needy children.

Some 8 million suffering children in more than 100 countries on six continents will receive personal, gift-filled shoeboxes this year. For many of these children, the shoebox gift will be the first gift they have ever received.

“Operation Christmas Child is a unique opportunity to do something as simple as packing a shoe box that will have a lasting impact on a child a world away,” said Pastor Craig Dale. “We are excited about the 2009 collection season, as community members have already begun packing shoe box gifts.” The collection dates for boxes is Nov. 16-23. For information on packing a shoebox gift, visit www.samaritanspurse.org.

Operation Christmas Child began in the United States in 1993 with 28,000 shoebox gifts. Since that time, more than 69 million shoebox gifts have been hand-delivered to needy children in 145 countries.

Antioch Church on The Rock has been a part of the Antioch community for more than 100 years. ACOTR ministers through the arts, media and culturally relevant teaching. For more information, visit www.antiochcotr.org.

###