PHENIX CITY, AL - Volunteers have been working tirelessly at Phenix City-area collection sites where thousands of shoe boxes packed with school supplies, toys and necessity items were dropped off by caring Phenix City residents.

National Collection Week is wrapping up for the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind—Operation Christmas Child—where participants fill empty shoe boxes with items for kids suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, famine, and poverty. Soon, these shoe boxes will be delivered to 8.5 million kids worldwide.

First Lady Dianne Bentley will continue the initiative “Blankets with a Blessing” that provides new quilts and blankets to homeless and displaced families during the holiday season. “Blankets with a Blessing” has provided thousands of blankets since the initiative began in 2004.