Jackson Progress-Argus

Wilber Singley (from left), Adonia Pagel, Sara Kitchens and Mattie Bell Head fill Shoebox Project shoe boxes at the Butts County Senior Center on Tuesday.

Individuals and organizations across Butts County have been packing shoe boxes since March, to aid area women and children in need.

The United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta’s Shoebox Project, now in its seventh year, aims to gather donations of toiletry items -- like toothpaste, lotions, deodorants and lip balm -- to distribute to women and children in area shelters on Mother’s Day.

On Tuesday, members of the Butts County Senior Center contributed to the project by decorating and filling 23 shoe boxes. Senior Center Site Manager Chrissy Crabtree said the Nike outlet store at Tanger Outlet Center in Locust Grove donated well over 100 empty shoe boxes toward the senior center’s project. She said seniors bought toiletry items and collected donations from City Pharmacy to fill the 23 boxes that were decorated.

“They did it last year and they enjoyed it so much ... they wanted to do it bigger this year,” Crabtree said.

In Butts County, individuals and organizations can drop off Shoebox Project donations through May 1 at the office of the Jackson Progress-Argus, 129 S. Mulberry Street in Jackson. United Way Regional Director Lynda Smith said officials plan to provide the boxes collected in Butts County to the Christian Emergency Relief Foundation for use with the clients it serves.

United Way asks that those donating boxes make sure they can be opened for safety inspections.

For more information, visit unitedwayatlanta.org/shoeboxproject or call (404) 614-2911.