'Operation Christmas Child' Commences In Sun Valley

SUN VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — Christmas is coming, but in Sun Valley the season has already arrived for volunteers packing gifts for children in need.

Hundreds of shoebox gifts were packed for Operation Christmas Child at Village Christian School in Sun Valley.

The festive shoeboxes were packed with toys, hygiene items and school supplies, and will be delivered to children suffering from poverty, natural disaster, war, terror, disease and famine.

CBS2's Joy Benedict was there for the festivities.

She spoke to volunteers who helped pack the boxes and what the event meant to them.

The effort doesn't end Saturday – people can still donate $7 to pack a shoebox by visiting samaritanspurse.org/occ.