Touted as a kids-helping-kids project, Operation Christmas Child is known for bringing smiles to hurting children all over the world.

"It doesn't take much ... . Just one simple act of kindness, just one shoe box filled with simple items and a great truth can make the difference in a child's life forever — the power of one simple gift," Becky Morales, OCC's Lancaster relay coordinator, said.

Morales' family has participated in Operation Christmas Child for years. It has taught her children that giving is definitely better than receiving, she said.

"To us, it's rewarding not to do our Christmas list first. I'm glad for that, as a mom," Morales said.

Next week, thousands of gift-filled shoe boxes will be collected by more than 130,000 volunteers worldwide — including some 100,000 volunteers in the United States — and prepared for transportation to distant lands.

Despite tough times, Operation Christmas Child volunteers have raised their goals for shoe-box donations this year.

"Even though the economy is down, we have not seen a downfall in generosity," OCC media associate Sara Klute said.

Locally, OCC took in more than 5,000 shoe-box donations last year.

"We're shooting for 6,000 from Lancaster County this year," said Jennifer Wagner, OCC's collection center coordinator.

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and volunteers from youth groups and Sunday school classes from all over the county help load the shoe boxes into large containers, Morales said. By helping with the collection, the youths learn they can do something good for others, she said.

Wagner said it doesn't take a lot of money to fill a shoe box with Dollar Store items.

"Little things put in a shoe box make a difference to kids around the world," she said.

After the boxes are collected at New Life Church, Akron Church of the Brethren and New Providence Church of God, they will be loaded onto a 48-foot trailer at the New Providence church and taken to a national distribution center in Boone, N.C.

From there, the shoe boxes are inspected and prepared for overseas shipment, Wagner said.

Operation Christmas Child's United States goal is to collect 4.6 million shoe boxes; its worldwide goal is 8 million shoe boxes. Last year, 7.6 million shoe boxes were collected.

Operation Christmas Child representatives and national partners transport the boxes by truck, bus, train, helicopter, boat, foot, dog sled and mule to children hurting from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty.

Operation Christmas Child began in the U.S. in 1993 with 28,000 shoe-box gifts. Since then, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been delivered to more than 130 countries.

The shoe boxes should not be wrapped, Wagner said, because Operation Christmas Child adds evangelistic booklets to them. Donations of $7 per box to cover shipping costs are requested but are not mandatory, she said.

Shoe-box donations should be made for the following age groups: 2 to 4 years old, 5 to 9 years old and 10 to 14 years old. The boxes should be marked for the child's age group and gender, she said.

In addition to the regular shoe boxes, the organization accepts gifts in shoe-box-size plastic containers because recipients can reuse the containers, Wagner said.

E-mail: lvaningen@lnpnews.com