Crane Community Chapel in Austin is a drop-off site this year for Operation Christmas Child.

They are within the multi-county area organized by the Rochester Minnesota Area Team for the Samaritan’s Purse project —joining nearly 5,000 U.S. locations collecting gift-filled shoeboxes for children in need around the world.

During the National Collection Week, Nov. 13-20, Austin residents will fill shoe boxes with school supplies, hygiene items and toys. Operation Christmas Child will deliver these shoebox gifts to children affected by war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.

This year, the Rochester Minnesota Area Team hopes to contribute more than 14,082 shoebox gifts toward the 2017 global goal of reaching 12 million children.

Crane Community Chapel, at 1111 Ninth St. NE, Austin, will receive filled shoeboxes:

• 9 a.m. to noon, Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 13-14;

• 2 -5 p.m.,Wednesday, Nov. 15;

• 9 a.m. to noon Thursday and Friday Nov. 16-17;

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18;

• Noon to 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 19; and