Four Butler County churches will serve as collection sites for the Samaritan's Purse project Operation Christmas Child.

During National Collection Week, Monday through Nov. 21, county residents can donate shoeboxes — filled with school supplies, hygiene items, notes of encouragement and toys, such as a doll or soccer ball — for Operation Christmas Child to deliver to children in need around the world.

The four collection sites this year are:

- St. John's Reformed Church, 494 Evans City Road

- Friendship Presbyterian Church's community center, 886 New Castle Road, Slippery Rock

- Zion United Methodist Church, 438 Bear Creek Road, Sarver

- Three Rivers Free Will Baptist Church, 20401 Route 19, Cranberry Township.

Shannon Kooser of Cabot, this year's relay center coordinator for Zion United Methodist, said she and fellow church volunteers will be on hand to take the gift shoeboxes and pack them into cardboard containers.

“You go down a driveway to the fellowship hall at the back of the church,” said Kooser. “The way will be clearly marked with signs and balloons.”

Kooser said this is the ninth year Zion United Methodist has served as a collection site.

“We'll put them (the shoeboxes) into cartons that hold 21 boxes each,” Kooser said.

Once the collection period ends Nov. 21, Kooser said a local business lends the church a truck and a driver to transfer the cartons.

“Last year, we had a 14-foot box truck and we will have to see if we make one trip or two trips,” Kooser said. “Last year we barely made it with one trip.”

Kooser said the cartons will be taken to St. John's Reformed Church where they will be loaded onto a semitrailer for transport to Baltimore and shipment overseas.

This year, county organizers hope to collect more than 15,181 shoeboxes toward the 2016 global goal of reaching 12 million children.

“The shoebox gifts donated by Butler volunteers at these drop-off locations will shine a light of hope to children living in poverty overseas,” said John Woitas, Butler County volunteer area coordinator for Operation Christmas.

“Anyone is welcome to pack a shoebox and help a child facing difficult circumstances to feel loved and not forgotten, ” Woitas said.

“Any box is important,” Kooser said. “If someone does just one box, it matters. That shoebox is going to make a difference.”

For more information on how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 410-772-7360 or visit samaritanspurse.org/OCC.

By going online to give the suggested donation of $7 per shoebox gift, participants can follow their box to discover where in the world it will be delivered.

They can also pack a shoebox gift online and even upload a photograph and note of encouragement.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham.

Four Butler County churches will serve as collection sites for this year's Samaritan's Purse project Operation Christmas Child. The hours and locations shoeboxes will be collected are:ST. JOHN'S REFORMED CHURCH491 Evans City RoadMonday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Tuesday: 6 to 8 p.m.Wednesday: 3 to 5 p.m.Nov. 17: 6 to 8 p.m.Nov. 18: 3 to 5 p.m.Nov. 19:10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Nov. 20: Noon to 4 p.m.Nov. 21: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.FRIENDSHIP PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH COMMUNITY CENTER886 New Castle Road, Slippery RockMonday: 5 to 8 p.m.Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.Wednesday: 5 to 7 p.m.Nov. 17: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.Nov. 18: 5 to 7 p.m.Nov. 19: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.Nov. 20: 1 to 3 p.m.Nov. 21:11 a.m. to 1 p.m.ZION UNITED METHODIST CHURCH438 Bear Creek Road, Sarver4 Monday: 6 to 9 p.m.Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 6 to 8 p.m.Wednesday: 6 to 9 p.m.Nov. 17: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 6 to 8 p.m.Nov. 18: 6 to 9 p.m.Nov. 19: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Nov. 20: 1 to 6 p.m.Nov. 21: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.THREE RIVERS FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH20401 Route 19, Cranberry TownshipMonday: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 5 to 7 p.m.Tuesday: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.Wednesday: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.Nov. 17: 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.Nov. 18: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.Nov. 19:10 a.m. to noonNov. 20: 12:30 to 2 p.m.Nov. 21: 8 to 10 a.m.