I am writing to thank and celebrate Fountain Hill residents for spreading joy to children around the world this Christmas season. The generosity of Fountain Hills volunteers, families and groups paved the way for us to exceed our goal. We collected 1,488 (a 76 percent increase in Fountain Hills from 2015) shoebox gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child—the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind.

Local residents were encouraged to share Operation Christmas Child with their neighbors, friends at the coffee shop, or jazzercise class and that they did.

The gift-filled shoeboxes are tangible expressions of God’s love for children around the world suffering from poverty, natural disaster, war, disease and famine. These children, many of whom have never received a gift before, learn they are loved and not forgotten. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 135 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories.

It’s not too late for people to make a difference. Though the Fountain Hills drop-off location is closed until November 2017, filled shoeboxes are collected year-round at the Samaritan’s Purse headquarters in Boone, North Carolina. Additionally, anyone can conveniently pack a personalized Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift at samaritanspurse.org/occ. Information about year-round volunteer opportunities can also be found on the website or by calling 602-750-5408.

Thank you again to everyone who participated in this project and for those who do so year after year. These simple gifts, packed with love, send a message of hope and continue to transform the lives of children worldwide.