Operation Christmas Child : My All-Time Favorite Charity

Operation Christmas Child  started in 1993. It is the gift giving project of the relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. Today they have traveled to over 130 countries and have delivered over 100 million gift filled shoe boxes.

This charity is especially close to my heart. How can I express the love my family and I have for this project but by telling you that we work all year-long looking for bargain items and  making special hand-made gifts to fill shoe boxes that I know will travel across the globe to some poverty-stricken, hurting , and often abandoned children left in cold and unloving orphanages. I have personally met two recipients, now grown-ups, who have told us of unspeakable situations and the impact of a small but powerful little shoe box.

I know that many of these kids have Never had a toy or a candy. That many will go to school for the first time because in my little boxes I remembered to include school supplies.

I am so amazed of the joy that I can give with just a few store-bought items and a few loom knitted toys. Let me show you what that joy looks like…

How Can Your Loom Knitting Help Operation Christmas Child?

I’m glad you asked because I wanted to share this information and let you know that this is a great place for your loom knit treasures. You don’t need to fill a whole shoe boxes. If you only send a few hats, a mitten or knitted toy that’s OK, because very often they receive boxes at their headquarters that are not filled with enough items. During inspection they take candy and fillers that are donated and make sure that Every box has enough goodies to make the little recipient very happy. That child will only get one shoe box from Operation Christmas Child once in his or her entire lifetime. The folks at the service center have to make that one count.

So if you send loom knitted toys, hats, socks or scarves they will use those items as fillers. Isn’t that awesome? Please note that you don’t need to send your donation to their headquarters. There are local drop-off sites all over the US, Canada and other countries.

For more information on donating gifts-in-kind, please contact Operation Christmas Child Corporate Relations at (828) 262-1980 ext. 8037 or e-mail OCCGIK@samaritan.org.

 

2017 Collection Week is November 13-20

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FREE Loom Knitting Patterns

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Below are just some of the items you’ll find under the Projects page that you can make to send to OCC. Click on the pictures for links to FREE Patterns and Video Tutorials.

 

Start Loom Knitting for Operation Christmas Child Early

There are so many sweet little items that you can loom knit consider one of these little portable buddys. Comfort-dolls are VERY cheap to make. They are small and lovable made from your left-over. Once you get the hand of the simple pattern you’ll get them done in no time flat.

Make them male or female. Use crazy, bright happy colors when possible. These kids live in a gray and brown world. You can even make a Santa Clause if you just change the colors to fit the outfit.

You imagination is the only limit.

For the Pattern: Click Here

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How about a loom knit wash cloth for your Operation Christmas Child shoebox.  Knit a perfect square on any loom, round or square.

One must is that you make sure to use cotton yarn. Acrylics and acrylic blends don’t do good with this application. Cotton as a natural fiber will do fine with the long periods of moisture. Not to mention how beautiful you can make a hand-made cotton wash cloth.

Another project that can be made using left-over yarn. Make them in stripes so that you only need a bit of each color.

Get buck wild and crazy with this one.

For the FREE loom knit pattern: Click Here

 

 

This little bracelet can be made with ANY loom. It can be round, square or rectangular. It doesn’t matter because you’re only using some of the pegs and not all of them.

This is a great project for your kids to do for their shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child and you won’t have to buy any extra equipment. If you loom knit you all ready have everything other than the rubber bands. You can use the Rainbow loom bands or and you can get  braid bands at Walmart or any local hair store.

For the FREE loom knit pattern and video tutorial: Click Here

 

How about a nice pencil grip. This little project will add so much love value to that precious pencil. It will help those little guys that are handling their writing utensils for the first time ever.

Like some of the other projects with the rubber bands this little project is kid friendly and beginner EASY. Plus if you have ANY loom you already have all the equipment you need other then maybe the rubber bands. You can use the Rainbow loom bands or and you can get  braid bands at Walmart or any local hair store.

For the FREE loom knit pattern plus picture video tutorial: Click Here

List Videos for Gift Ideas

Complete Playlist : Click HERE
Kitty: Click HERE
Comfort Dolls: Click HERE
Barbie Dress: Click HERE
Cupcake Skirt Dolls: Click HERE
Tiny Dolls: Click HERE
Friendship Bracelets: Click HERE
Fishtail Bracelets: Click HERE
Grips: Click HERE
Pencil Case: Click HERE
Sachet Bag: Click HERE
Gift Bags: Click HERE
Shoelaces: Click HERE
Washcloth 1: Click HERE
Washcloth 2: No Video -only stitch Click HERE
Flower: Click HERE
Hat 1: Click HERE
Hat 2: Click HERE

Join me in making a difference in a child’s life.

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Tagged: all charity, knitting in kind, loom knitting for charity, occ ideas, occ shoeboxes, Operation Christmas Child