This holiday season, Niles residents are working to brighten the lives of millions of needy children around the world.

Volunteers are preparing for the collection of 23,000 gift-filled shoe boxes — Niles’s target contribution to the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, Operation Christmas Child.

Monday through Nov. 19, two collection sites in the Niles-area will be bustling with activity as 23,000 shoe boxes packed full of goodies for needy kids overseas are dropped off by local individuals and families.

Anyone can drop off a packed shoebox at the Niles-area collection site — Niles Seventh Day Adventist School, 110 N. Fairview Ave., Niles.

Then, using whatever means necessary — trucks, trains, boats, bikes and even elephants — the shoe box gifts will be hand-delivered to hurting children in 100 countries around the world.

Drop times are 8 to 11 a.m. Monday; 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 13; 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 14; 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 15; 1 to 3 p.m. Nov. 16; 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 17; 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 18; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 19.

In 2012, Operation Christmas Child expects to reach a milestone — collecting and delivering shoe boxes to more than 100 million children since 1993. During that time, Operation Christmas Child has collected more than 94 million shoe box gifts and delivered them to children in more than 130 countries. This year, Operation Christmas Child aims to collect another 9 million gift-filled shoeboxes. For many children, the shoebox gift will be the first gift they have ever received.

Operation Christmas Child uses tracking technology to allow participants to “follow” their box to the destination country where it will be given to a child in need. To register shoebox gifts and find out the destination country, use the “Follow Your Box” donation form found at www.samaritanspurse.org/occ.