Lesa Warner, a Nashua resident and volunteer in the gift shop at the Nashua Senior Activity Center, 70 Temple St., adds another bag of shoes to the United Way of Greater Nashua's Summer Shoe Drive donation box, one of 21 donation locations where supporters have gifted thousands of shoes during the project, one that ends on Aug. 31.  Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

NASHUA – Sneakers, work boots, walkers and other types of footwear are being dropped off by the thousands at 21 area shoe donation locations as part of the United Way of Greater Nashua Summer Shoe Drive, a first-ever project in progress through Aug. 31 to support the launch of the agency’s Greater Nashua Shoe Fund.

A Drive-Through Shoe Donation Event on Aug. 18 at United Way of Greater Nashua’s headquarters, 20 Broad St., already has garnered hundreds of pairs of shoes and boots.

The drive-through day was sponsored in part by Alec’s Shoes, 1617 Southwood Drive. Donors who delivered their bundles in person that day were thanked with a coupon for 10% off a future purchase of one pair of shoes at Alec’s.

“Shoes of all kinds and all sizes that are gently used are welcomed to be donated,” said Michael Apfelbrerg, president of United Way of Greater Nashua, 20 Broad St.

“Those shoes can help someone starting a new job, an elderly person unable to buy shoes on a set budget, or families with growing children who constantly need shoes for all seasons,” he added.

The United Way of Greater Nashua Summer Shoe Drive is paused for a photo break during the agency's first-ever Drive-In Shoe Drive Event on Aug. 18, as staffers Sara Ceaser, left, a resident of Nashua and the agency's director of volunteer and community engagement, and Samantha Cassista, a resident of Bedford and the agency's director of corporate partnerships, display some of the shoe donations collected by Jenny Chmielecki, a valued volunteer and resident of Nashua. Photo by LORETTA JACKSON

Apfelberg said the first-ever Summer Shoe Drive will help grow the agency’s new Greater Nashua Shoe Fund, one that will provide vouchers to people in need who will be able to buy their shoes at Alec’s.

Sara Ceaser, director of volunteer and community engagement at United Way of Greater Nashua, applauded everyone who is helping to support the Summer Shoe Fund, one she deemed a valued community resource for people of all ages.

Ceasar admits the new enterprise, one of such a wide scope and importance to the community, is a work in progress whose success is ensured solely by the volunteers who are assisting in the effort.

She said she needs more help and more volunteers before the Summer Shoe Drive closes on the last day of this month, Aug. 31.

“Volunteers are needed now to help by sorting shoe donations, picking up donations from donation boxes and retrieving the donation boxes when the shoe drive ends,” Ceaser said.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” she added.

Those who cannot donate shoes in person may support the effort by donating to the Summer Shoe Drive. Visit online: https://unitedwaynashua.org/event/shoes/ or contact United Way of Greater New Hampshire at info@unitedwaynashua.org. Calls to find out your nearest donation box also are welcome to 603-882-4011.

United Way of Greater Nashua Summer Shoe Drive Collection Boxes are available at these locations:

– United Way of Greater Nashua, 20 Broad St. 603-882-4011

– Nashua Senior Activity Center, 70 Temple St. 603-889-6155

– Hudson Senior Center, 19 Kimball Hill Road. 603-578-3929

– Sky Meadow Country Club, 6 Mountain Laurels Drive. 603-888-9000

– Gate City Casino, 2800 Southwood Drive. 603-943-5630

– Nashua Bingo, 166 Daniel Webster Highway. 603-888-8833

– Nashua Telegraph, 100 Main St. 603-594-1200

– YMCA of Greater Nashua, 24 Stadium Drive. 603-882.2011

– YMCA in Merrimack, 6 Henry Clay Drive. 603-881-7778

– YMCA Westwood Park, 90 Northwest Blvd. 603-402-2258

– Nash Casino, 310 Daniel Webster Highway. 603-751-6274

– Nashua Community College, 505 Amherst St. 603-578-8900

– Southern New Hampshire Health, 8 Prospect St. 603-577-2000

– Pheasant Lane Mall, 310 Daniel Webster Highway. 603-888-2331

– Merrimack Premium Outlets, 80 Premium Outlets Blvd. 603-424-0050

– Club Pilates, 3-5 Colby Court, Bedford. 603-782-7956

– Alec’s Shoes, 1617 Southwood Drive. 603-882-6811

– Nashua Coins & Collectibles, 202 Main St. 603-718-1018

– Merrimack County Savings Bank, 101 Broad St. 603-880-7000

– Control Air, 8 Columbia Drive, Amherst. 603-886-9400

– Amherst Wellness Center, 292 State Route 101. 603-213-6090