As the Christmas season approaches, those looking to provide an impoverished child with the thrill of his or her first present as well as 12 weeks of Bible school can easily do just that.

Operation Christmas Child, a project of Franklin Graham’s organization, Samaritan’s Purse, is accepting shoeboxes filled with basic items for either a boy or a girl in one of three age groups from Nov. 18 to 25 in five locations in Butler County.

More information on packing the shoeboxes can be found by visiting samaritanspurse.org and clicking on the green “Operation Christmas Child season is here!” tab.

The Butler County drop-off locations are:

Community Alliance Church, 800 Mercer Road, Center Township

Advance Community Church, 225 Crowe Ave., Mars

Friendship Presbyterian Church Community Center, 886 New Castle Road, Slippery Rock

Zion Methodist Community Church, 438 Bear Creek Road, Buffalo Township

Chicora Alliance Church, 310 E. Slippery Rock St., Chicora

The times when filled shoeboxes will be accepted, or when locals can pick up empty shoeboxes and labels, are available at the Samaritan’s Purse website.

Those without internet access can call the churches to learn when they can drop off shoeboxes.