The organization is close to reaching its largest goal ever.
600 volunteers will spend this week in west Oahu checking, packing and shipping boxes to children in Indonesia.
"It makes me feel really good about myself because I know that I am doing things to help other kids around the world," said Sophia Morgan, volunteer.
This Oahu teen has volunteered for the past four years to help in the Operation Christmas Child warehouse where thousands of donated shoe boxes are stuffed with school supplies and gifts then sent to children in third world countries in time for Christmas Day.
"I think that its good for me to learn how to use my time wisely cause I will have to learn how to do that as an adult and to me this is just as fun as going to the beach and hanging out," said Morgan.
Operation Christmas Child was hoping to collect 40,000 shoe boxes this year now so far statewide they’ve collected 38,000 boxes.
"We did see a lot of leis in the boxes and a lot of flip flops," said Susan Thomas, volunteer.
Susan and John Thomas are from Little Rock, Arkansas and have volunteered to help at all six warehouses across the country they’ve finally made it to Hawaii.
"We had to pack a lot less clothes here, no heavy coats, just shorts and t-shirts so that was great," said John Thomas, volunteer from Arkansas.
Volunteers inspect the donations to check for any items that could damage the shipment or are deemed inappropriate.
"The inappropriate stuff we actually categorize it for food or liquids and then from there we give as a local donation to other charities in the islands," said Morgan.
So far Operation Christmas Child Hawaii has collected 6,000 more shoe boxes compared to last year and donors have until Saturday Dec. 8 to make last minute donations at their Kalaeloa Warehouse.
For more information call 561-4994 or click here.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
