OGDENSBURG -- This month, sites in the St. Lawrence County area will be among 5,000 U.S. drop-off locations collecting shoebox gifts for children overseas during Operation Christmas Child's National Collection Week, Nov. 18-25.

North Country families, churches and groups are busy transforming empty shoeboxes into gifts filled with toys, school supplies and hygiene items.

The Samaritan's Purse project partners with local churches across the globe to deliver these tangible expressions of God's love to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine, said a press release from the organization.

This year, local residents hope to collect more than 10,000 gifts to contribute to the 2019 global goal of reaching 11 million children.

Local collection sites include:

• Ogdensburg, New Life Assembly of God, 929 Park St., on Nov. 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22, 4-7 p.m.; Nov. 23, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Nov. 24, 12-3 p.m.; and Nov. 25, 8-10 a.m.

• Gouverneur, Mercy Point Church, 214 Rock Island St., on Nov. 18, 20 and 22, 6-8 p.m.; Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; Nov. 21 and 23, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; Nov. 24, 1-3 p.m.; and Nov. 25, 8:30-10:30 a.m.

• Winthrop, Victory Baptist Church, 601 State Highway 11C, on Nov. 18, 19, 20 and 21, 6-8 p.m.; Nov. 22, 5-8 p.m.; Nov. 23, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.; Nov. 24, 12-4 p.m.; and Nov. 25, 8-10 a.m.

Info: 518-437-0690, samaritanspurse.org/occ.

Participants can donate $9 per shoebox gift online through "Follow Your Box" and receive a tracking label to discover its destination.

Those who prefer the convenience of online shopping can browsesamaritanspurse.org/buildonline to select gifts matched to a child's specific age and gender, then finish packing the virtual shoebox by adding a photo and personal note of encouragement.