United Way of the Lowcountry is currently collecting school supplies and donations as part of Operation Backpack, an initiative of United Way of the Lowcountry’s Women United that provides local students in need with backpacks full of school supplies and uniform shirts to start school.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Women United works with school social workers to identify students in need who are not served by another agency to help fill the gap.&nbsp;Operation Backpack provided school supplies and uniform shirts to more than 1,000 students throughout Beaufort and Jasper counties last school year. This year, the program is expanding once again to help nearly 1,250 local students.&nbsp;

Women United is collecting school supplies as well as monetary donations. School supplies can be dropped off at United Way of the Lowcountry offices in Beaufort and Bluffton as well as various locations throughout the Lowcountry through Aug. 1.&nbsp;

The list of school supplies include: Pocket Folders (2 pockets); Crayola Washable Markers; No. 2 Pencils (box of 12 count); Colored Pencils; Ruler (12 inch, clear if possible); Glue Sticks; Composition Notebooks (marble); Index cards; Highlighter (Yellow); Hand Sanitizer; Box of Facial Tissue; Crayons (24 count); Filler Paper; Zipper-Seal Quart and Gallon Bags; Wet Wipes; Roll of Paper Towels; Expo Dry Erase Markers; Beach Towels.

Monetary donations and gift cards will be used to purchase size-specific school uniform shirts and additional school supplies. Monetary donations can be made online at www.uwlowcountry.org or by texting BACKPACK2019 to 71777. Checks should be made out to United Way of the Lowcountry with "Operation Backpack" in the memo.

Gift cards and checks should be mailed to:

United Way of the Lowcountry&nbsp;

P.O. Box 202

Beaufort, SC&nbsp; 29901

Donation boxes have been placed at various locations throughout the Lowcountry including:&nbsp;

<strong>Beaufort</strong>

SugarBelle - 905 Boundary Street

United Way of the Lowcountry Office - 1277 Ribaut Road

<strong>Bluffton</strong>

United Way of the Lowcountry Office - 10 Buckingham Plantation Dr. Suite D

Synovus Bank - 3 Belfair Village Drive

Carolina Heritage Insurance - 198 Okatie Village Drive, Suite 102

<strong>Hilton Head Island </strong>

Synovus Bank - 210 Central Avenue

Carolina Heritage Insurance - 92 N Main Street, Suite C

May River Dermatology - 25 Hospital Center Commons, Suite 200

<strong>Lady's Island</strong>

Retreat at Lady's Island - 9 Sunset Blvd

<strong>Okatie</strong>

Beaufort Jasper Water &amp; Sewer Authority - 6 Snake Road

<strong>Port Royal</strong>

May River Dermatology - 1813 Richmond Avenue

YMCA - 1801 Richmond Avenue

Corner Perk - 1628 Paris Avenue

<strong>Hardeeville</strong>

Jasper County Chamber of Commerce - 36 Main Street

<strong>Ridgeland </strong>

Jasper County Chamber of Commerce - 403 Russell Street

For more information - visit www.uwlowcountry.org or contact Jaime Dailey-Vergara at jdaileyvergara@uwlowcountry.org or 843.982.