Step Inside! What to Expect When Volunteering at an Operation Christmas Child Processing Center 🎁🎁🎁

[@SingleGirlsDIY]

So great to see the full boxes! I hear so many people saying they are sending more filler next year.

[@KellysKidz]

Yes it's so nice to have full boxes come through the line, especially when filler items are hard to come by. I’m going to make sure I pack plenty of filler items next year! 😊🎁

[@Sunshinecrfl]

What a great job explaining the processing center! We were there the same day as you! Gulf to Lake Church from Crystal River, FL, with 11 volunteers!

[@KellysKidz]

Aww that's awesome!! ❤🎉 It's such a wonderful experience to work at the processing center. 🎁☺️

[@KarenYork-t2c]

Thank you for taking us on this tour of the processing center! 👏👏👏

[@KellysKidz]

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! ❤😊 Definitely one of the highlights of my year! 🎁🥰

[@eastcoaststories]

Thanks for showing us around Atlanta! My husband and I did the same and stayed at a hotel close to the processing center. Looked like a fun crowd you were processing and traveling with. I agree, Chikfila was pricey. I think the prices increased this year.

[@KellysKidz]

It's such a highlight of my year! Our group keeps growing each year, too 😄💝 OCC is contagious! 🎁☺️

[@AmyDrake-x3w]

My group is on this video! We were there the same day. It was such a great experience. Great video!

[@KellysKidz]

Aww, that’s awesome! 😊❤ We loved our time there and I’m so glad you had a great experience, too! 🎉

[@SweetTDaily]

Thank you for taking us along on your processing center journey! I am leaving tomorrow to go to the Atlanta processing center and I can hardly wait! Thank you for showing pictures of the full boxes - that is encouraging! 😊💖🎁

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you, Nichole! You are going to have such a wonderful experience! Enjoy! 😊🎁❤️🎉

[@denise5457]

We were there on Tuesday of last week. Going a couple of times this coming week. It is fun. Loud, but fun. We also saw quite a few full boxes. There could always be more filler, would be nice to see more toys in it. I'm dropping off as much as I can. Drop by drop it helps, hopefully.

[@KellysKidz]

That’s wonderful, Denise! I was regretting not bringing filler with me, I’d definitely be dropping more by if I was closer. I came home and started packing some up for next year. 😅❤

[@Kit.Nicole]

That looked so fun Kelly! I’m glad you saw a lot of full boxes. That’s interesting that you said people bring their own mats to stand on. At the Calgary centre there were mats already at every station.

[@KellysKidz]

Oh wow! That's a very nice addition. We had sore feet by the end of our 8 hour shift! 😄💝 Thanks so much for watching, I enjoyed your visit to the Calgary processing center! ❤

[@amynaddra7230]

Great video! I’m a team coach in the Atlanta processing center. Table 44 most days. I’m happy you were able to volunteer! I’ve worked for 5 years as a coach. My only thing is the cow bells that people ring can cause hearing loss with a cow bell producing over 100 decibels. So much fun each day. Atlanta will have 10,000 volunteers to process 2 million shoebox “treasure” gifts from God and his faithful servants. Thanks again!!!

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you, Amy! It is so rewarding to volunteer there! I can imagine though that the loudness can be rough as a team coach being there multiple days in a row and for those who are sensitive to loud noises. 💝

[@vbetta8979]

That would be a bit much all day. Ear plugs might help. You can still hear people talking but it will cut down on the loudness of it all. ❤

[@sendingshoeboxes6090]

thank you Kelly for taking us along with you on your journey! This was so fun to watch and can't wait to go one day myself!

[@drogers]

Great job Kelly! Love hearing about your experience! 😊 I head back next week for several more shifts. I’m looking forward to it!

[@KellysKidz]

Thanks, Denise! ❤ I'm so excited for you! It’s definitely my happy place. 😊

[@byrdfeed9071]

Excellent, thorough video, Kelly! ❤

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you, Trish! 🥰 It was a lot of fun to film and put together! 😊

[@christyrobertson5635]

I appreciate such a clear, positive video about the PC!

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you! ❤ I'm so glad you found it helpful! 😊

[@chellemorgan9970]

Thanks for sharing your trip to the processing center.

[@KellysKidz]

I was so happy to share! ❤😊 It was a wonderful experience!

[@atlpeach86]

Volunteered again this year in Atlanta. I am also encouraging people to do this and I am so glad you made a video to show what it is like so I can share and get people involved. Thank you!

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you for your commitment to Operation Christmas Child! It's such a wonderful ministry to be a part of and brings me so much joy! I’m glad this video will be helpful to you in encouraging others to join in! 🥰

[@viecooper931]

Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you so much for watching! 😊❤

[@tammyjones3709]

Thank You Kelly for showing your experience. I did 3 days at the Denver processing center last week and had a wonderful time. Was able to meet and get my picture taken with Edward Graham who spoke that day. Idid fine that a lot of boxes were half full, so glad to have so much filler. And I too will continue to send pencil packs and filler next year.❤❤❤

[@KellysKidz]

That is so awesome that you got to meet Edward Graham! It sounds like you had a truly wonderful experience. 😊❤

[@tammyculp7765]

Thank you for posting this. I love seeing what other people pack in their boxes. I want so much to volunteer and Aurora Illinois is my closest processing center. But it seems to fill up so quickly thanks again. It was great.

[@KellysKidz]

You’re very welcome! I know spots can fill up so quickly. 💝 I hope you get the opportunity to try it one day! 🎁

[@knitrxsews7040]

Thanks for sharing!

[@KellysKidz]

You’re very welcome! ❤

[@BLESSEDandOCCobsessed]

Great video Kelly! Thanks for sharing.

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you, Tiffany! ❤ And thanks for sharing on your FB group! 😊

[@lisadbeerbower]

Thanks for sharing! I love that you went with your daughter! ❤

[@KellysKidz]

It was definitely a special time we’ll always remember! 💖😊

[@kimmclean9933]

Thanks for sharing your video! ☺️

[@KellysKidz]

You’re so welcome! ❤ Thanks for watching!

[@susannamarie1695]

Maybe next year I'll be able to volunteer at the dallas one. Thanks for the information about the shifts, I would only be able to do a shorter shift but glad to know that's an option!

[@KellysKidz]

Yes, they are very flexible with shifts! I hope you can go to the Dallas processing center, it’s such a highlight of our year! ❤🎉

[@tanyamantooth6017]

Thank you for making such an informative video! I went to Dallas this year for the first time and loved it! I’m hoping to encourage more to come next year! I’ll be saving and sharing this! Thank you💚♥️

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you so much! I hope this video inspires others to volunteer! ❤🎉

[@josee123]

That was great! Thanks for sharing your experience at the processing center, it's interesting to see.

[@KellysKidz]

I'm so happy to share! It's such a rewarding experience. 😊❤

[@ltlmsmfft]

My box shipped from Florida and would have been processed in Atlanta and it’s showing as going to the Ivory Coast! You may have processed my box. ❤

[@KellysKidz]

How cool is that! 💖☺️

[@arpalm11]

Looks like you had a great experience. Glad to see nice boxes and fun filler items.

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you! It was so much fun being there! 🎉🎁

[@sueholdener4135]

Great video. The more we learn about the whole process, the better we can do on a personal level. I was really glad to hear that most of the boxes were full. I used to think that SP did not want boxes with too much in them because their “pack a box online” used to be so sparse. I’m glad they’ve updated it and communicated that we can stuff them suckers good and full.😊

[@KellysKidz]

Haha I like that… “stuff them suckers good and full!” 😂❤ I definitely agree with that! 😊

[@ashleyjones2443]

Thank you for sharing Kelly! I would love to help in the processing center one day! ❤

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you for watching! It's such a fun and rewarding experience. ❤ I hope you get the opportunity to do it! 🎁

[@beckypetersen2680]

This is an amazing video. Thank you so much!

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you so much! ❤ I’m glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@AbigailSchneider-m2q]

Yay! Thanks for this!

[@KellysKidz]

Glad you enjoyed it, Abigail! ❤

[@livingstrategically]

Such a fun behind-the-scenes look at the Atlanta processing center! We hope to volunteer for the first time next year in Dallas. 😊 P.S. I sent you an email yesterday, but it may be in your spam folder because a file is attached. - Liz in South Texas

[@KellysKidz]

Thank you, Liz! I checked and did receive your e-mail, thank you! The processing center is so fun, I hope you get to go next year and I’m so glad you guys have been inspired to pack boxes! ❤🎉

[@mamachicken1548]

Hey, Kelly! TFS your experience at the processing center. It was nice you could take your daughter too. Did it look like there were enough school supplies in the boxes?

[@KellysKidz]

Hi Mama Chicken! 😊❤ It was such a wonderful experience for us both! We love going to the processing centers 🎉 I would say that while many boxes had some sort of school supplies like crayons or maybe some pencils, there were still quite a few who didn’t have any or needed more, and a lot of the boxes didn’t have paper to write on. We could definitely have used more filler pencil/paper packs, so as many extra as people can send I think will be used up quickly and be a big blessing. 💝

[@ginnybruce2772]

Now you have me thinking that perhaps letters and pictures should also be sent as “filler.” Seems a bit dishonest.. but people at large do care about the recipients.

[@KellysKidz]

You know, that’s a really great idea! ❤ I think if we included a little note or picture within a filler pencil pack or toy pack, that would help spread a little extra love and make the boxes even more personal (a lot of the boxes that needed filler didn’t have pictures or notes). I may start doing that as well! 😊

[@ginnybruce2772]

@ well count me in!!! I’m on it! This would also make a good video! Hint hint!