Tour of the OCC Fullerton Processing Center Dec 3, 2021

[@valswain]

Bribing the PC workers with lunch to get more filler at your station - genius 😏. Thanks for sharing, Sonia, and God Bless you for sharing your time and energy volunteering at the PC to help spread joy around the world!

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Missing you, Val! Can’t wait till we “shoebox connect” again in 2022. By we all putting our hearts and energy into this OCC ministry so many children are blessed. And, along the way, we have encounter getting to know and appreciate new friendships…… a WIN-WIN outcome! Wishing you and yours the beauty and joy of the Season. Merry Christmas! 🎁🎄 🎁🎄🎄🎄

[@Lifewithms.m]

I will be volunteering at the Fullerton location and will be bringing pencil packs with me! Thank you for sharing the need hopefully my fillers will be helpful.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Wonderful, Chelsea! Too bad our days at Fullerton didn’t match. Where are you in California? I’m in the Palm Springs area. Have fun at the PC and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours. 🎄🎁🎄

[@apriljackson4435]

Thank you so much for volunteering.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Merry Christmas, April!

[@patriciagriswold6060]

I will focusing on school kit fillers for 2022 along with my shoeboxes. I didn't get my fillers packed for this year. I originally signed up to volunteer at Fullerton, but my good friend, who was going to drive down with me, died suddenly. I can't face driving a couple of hours down and trying to navigate LA traffic😳

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Patricia, I am sorry to hear of your friend’s passing. So sad! My condolences to you. I understand about LA traffic. Drove it for years while working. My commute to Fullerton PC was a 2 1/2 hr drive. And yes, traffic was a bear. I also stayed overnight at a hotel because of poor night vision and not driving freeways at night. What many little tweaks we adjust to as part of aging! 😳 I don’t know where you are but if our routes are similar I would be happy to drive us to Fullerton next year. You have a standing offer, friend. Merry Christmas!❤️🎄❤️🎁

[@NikiChicote]

thank you for showing us around Sonia! and thank you for your love for this ministry... 💖💖💖

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Thank you, Nikki. Wish you could have been here! Merry Christmas!

[@byrdfeed9071]

These tours are so helpful and exciting. I am regretting not volunteering this year, but I am psyching myself up for a very long drive next year. ❤️

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Started sending non-stop “psyche vibes” your way! ❤️❤️❤️

[@crazyjedi338]

Some of those are those nice big Petsmart stuffies!

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Yes….The Petsmart stuffies fillers were most welcome! Surely, they will be loved by children receiving them. Thanks for viewing and commenting. 🌲🎁🎄🎁🌲

[@gtbmel]

I'm inspired to make more pencil fillers. I did some this year for the first time. I remember thinking that they must get plenty of pencil/school supply fillers. I guess that isn't true. I'll start in January 2022 - an easy new year's resolution.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Yes….to more pencils and school supplies! Many of the fillers yesterday were from sponsoring companies. Lots of baseball caps, men t-shirts really not geared to OCC age children. Fillers left at the end, do not go to waste and are enjoyed by others. It was disappointing coming across boxes with no school supplies. I came across boxes with “used” items, meaning used and dirty. A stained water bottled (some kind of red juice residue). This made me sad 😞. Some boxes were half-full, others filled with non children appropriate gifts, while OTHERS, MANY OTHERS WERE SIMPLY WONDERFUL!

[@eastcoaststories]

Oh, I'm LOVING these Operation Christmas Child processing center tours!! Thank you for giving us a tour of the OCC Fullerton PC! So nice you have a large media screen. The Baltimore PC does not have that. It is frustrating wanting more school supplies in the shoeboxes. I really hope there is more education the need of school supplies in shoeboxes - it should be mandatory. Hope you got more pencil packs in your filler later in the day! LOL, buying lunch for staff so you can get school supplies in your filler. You are too funny! Thank you for noting that about the DT plastic bins break a lot in shipping. Yes, same with us. So much toothpaste. If people can pack pencils rather than toothpaste, that would be great!! I know you had a long day, Sonia! Hope you are well rested for your next shift! Working at the PC is so much fun!! 🧸✏

[@maritzacopping3309]

Sharon, your videos ARE an education on the need to include school supplies. Keep posting! 🙂

[@eastcoaststories]

@@maritzacopping3309 Oh, thank you, Maritza!! I really do the word spreads!! ✏✏✏

[@Kit.Nicole]

Thanks for the tour and for sharing Sonia! Yeah, Toothpaste is still a big no-no item that keeps coming up here in Canada too.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Wow…there too! The good thing is nothing goes to waste. Inappropriate items are donated to other agencies and charities. All go to good use. Merry Christmas!🎄🎁

[@crazyjedi338]

Toothpaste is one of the newest no-gos. It sometimes takes a while for churches that don't have a lot of contact with OCC volunteers outside of dropping off to learn of new restrictions. Or people who pack on their own and drop it off at the same place every year.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

I completely agree. It’s a matter of continuing education as it takes time to adjust or know of the changes. Merry Christmas!

[@panthergal7399]

For 2022 I'm doing half of the number of boxes as last year but wayyy more fillers..I don't know if the rising gas prices are going to change the shipping costs..lol..integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching

[@loricarter2357]

I'm sorry I didn't understand what you were taking out of the boxes

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi Lori, at the Processing Centers volunteers inspect each and every box for “NOT ALLOWED” items before boxes are shipped. Items “NOT ALLOWED” include toothpaste, liquids of any kind, lotions, candy, glassware, snow globes, green camouflage clothing, knives (scissors are allowed), liquid paint, etc. I invite you to visit Samaritan’s Purse website to find out more. Volunteering at the Processing Center checking/inspecting boxes, I came across boxes containing candy, toothpaste, lotions, ceramic/glass Christmas ornaments and, because they are not allowed, had to remove them. Thank you so much for viewing and commenting. I appreciate you!

[@elizabethc1463]

I have bought cases of pencils before and brought them to the PC, but you can't take it to the table with you.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi, Elizabeth! Nice hearing from you! Thanks for bringing pencils to the PC. You are tops! Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and lots of wonders in 2022! 🌲🎁🌲

[@emilyslittlebooknook-8043]

Thank you :) I wanted to volunteer this year but I couldn't cause family recovering from covid cant wait till next year ... by chance was there any filler love letters? Also is there any positions for people to sit? my mom cant stand very long but wants to go next year.

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Sending best wishes for your family’s quick recovery and back to health again. If you mean letters/notes written by others to include as fillers? No. I personally did not see any. In examining boxes for inappropriate items, most of the boxes I checked had personal notes/letters included. Many, with family pictures. There are positions for volunteers who can’t stand very long (or not at all). I briefly visited a very sweet lady who was bagging small toys and crayons for fillers. Your mother would enjoy her time there. In the application to volunteer, there’s a question to mark if a seating (not standing) position is preferred. OCC encourages and welcomes everyone with the desire and heart to volunteer.

[@bluffcitybounty2122]

Thank you, Sonia! Sure wish I could send you some pencil packs and paper! I can't wait for the day that I can volunteer at a PC. They seem to have such happy, positive vibes! Did I hear you say you live in Palm Springs? This is a totally random thought, but I just finished a movie about Frank Sinatra's life there. Very interesting!

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi……you’ll have fun volunteering at a center. Lots of young people come in groups. I love it when a group of youngsters are working next to my station. Lots of giggles and fun. Yes, Palm Springs. Glad you got to see the Sinatra film. “Old Blue Eyes” was the KING here….LOL. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and lots of love in 2022! 💗💗💗

[@ScotiaGirl902]

I find it amazing how so many inappropriate items still go into boxes. Did you let a staff member know the no pencil issue you had? I hope you had a great time anyways, hopefully the word will get out in your area of the shortage of pencils!

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi, Tray! I asked multiple times! Hopefully, word will spread and it will be better next year. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@maritzacopping3309]

You had me laughing with your comments on trying to get the good fillers. I would have been tempted to grab those pencils too LOL. For years, the DT plastic boxes has been addressed but I see it’s still an issue. How do we encourage people to pack school supplies, and not to depend on OCC packers to provide the pencils packs? You and all my other favorite (Denise, Sharon, Trish, Emily, Robynn) do a great job spreading the need to include school supplies. Keep posting!

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi Maritza, this is a save-the-date memo. Join me next year on the first annual “Grab the Filler and Run” campaign! No regrets accepted. LOL

[@maritzacopping3309]

@@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987 😆 date saved.

[@lovelittletreasures9733]

Yes, you had me laughing also! I was waiting for you to grab a basket and pick some items out. 🤣 Too bad it’s not allowed. Can you bring pencils or supplies from home, to use at your station? Or they would take what you bring and distribute as they wish? So glad you were able to go! 🎁🎄🎁

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Bringing items with you to have at your work station is NOT ALLOWED. Personal belongings, handbags and backpacks are searched by OCC security at the front entrance. My lunch tote bag was searched thoroughly. Sharon (East Coast Stories) mistakenly entered through a side door and somehow managed to sneak in stacks of pencils to have at her work station. Upon discovery, she was yelled at. She did manage to add them to the boxes though! So, NO to bringing supplies from home to have at your work station if you don’t want a scolding! 😳😳😳

[@lovelittletreasures9733]

@@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987 - Wow! 😳 Glad I asked, in case I am able to attend when things get better. 🥰🎁🎄🎁

[@openmindedopenheartedpurpl3568]

Thank you and God bless you for sharing Sonia's Shoeboxes. Everybody looks so joyful there and the Christmas music and the video of where the shoeboxes go is absolutely amazing. Do you know what they do with the items that cannot be donated? Is donated locally to a shelter or a family in need locally? God bless you Sonia and everyone there that is volunteering

[@soniasshoeboxesocc-ninodel3987]

Hi….great question! Any and all unused items, as well as inappropriate items found in shoeboxes i.e. candy, liquid lotions and shampoos, toothpaste, food, etc. is donated to local agencies and charities. Used items i.e dirty articles of clothing, opened jars/bottles of shampoos, etc…..this is all tossed out immediately. As far as fillers, they are all donated to local agencies and charities as well. I inspected a box for a boy 5-9 filled with used clothing and a used water bottle with residue of something that looked like a red juice at one time. I trashed this box and built this young man a new box with fillers at hand. This was my saddest moment at the center. On inspecting a 5-9 girl box, found the most adorable glass angel wrapped in lots of tissue paper. It was a beautiful box too. Unfortunately, because glass is not allowed, had to remove the angel. I struggled with this one! Thanks for asking! Nothing will go to waste nor stored for upcoming 2022 shoeboxes. Sending you and yours warm Christmas wishes!