Amid the hard times of the early days of COVID-19, 11-year-old Liam Matthews saw what was happening and simply put, he got to doing something to help.

Five years later, Liam is still collecting donations and giving back with the help of his mom Sarita Henderson are doing their best to make the lives of people around Polk County just a little easier. Even if it means donations piling up around their townhouse apartment at times when they are out collecting to give back.

Liam is a kid just like any other. He’s a future Cedartown Bulldog basketball star who at the moment enjoys spending time outside dribbling the ball with a goal to play small forward or a shooting guard. Is he good?

“In my eyes I am,” he said with a smile.

He’s a fifth grader at Northside Elementary, soon to be a Cedartown Middle student and this summer will be continuing the tradition he started during COVID for his homegrown project Liam’s Love with the Soaps and Suds campaign.

Starting on June 1 and continuing through August 1, Liam and his mom Sarita will be working to collect donations of a variety of products like laundry detergent, fabric softener and other hygiene products to give back to those in need, with the idea of helping families who don’t have the means to keep clothing smelling fresh and clean without having to give up funds to food.

“We’re just trying to collect as much soaps and stuff that we can to distribute it to people who really need it,” he said.

He explained that when he began the effort five years ago, it was inspired by others just like him across the internet who were giving back even at a young age. He was just six years old when he figured out what he wanted to do.

“I saw all these different kids having charities and different ways of helping people that really needed it,” Liam said. “So I asked my mom if we could start a charity.”

Sarita added that “it was during COVID, and everybody needed help. And honestly everybody still needs help. That’s what started us off.”

It has been successful enough over the past years to keep Liam busy, and having to move items around in their home to ensure there’s enough space for the donations that have come in during the summertime campaign.

Liam and Mom have relied on Facebook and Flyers and picking up donations directly before distributing them to organizations who can help around the community, but have been branching out. Glad Tidings Church is hosting a collection box, and another is going over at Polk Family Connection’s office at One Door Polk.

They’ve given back to places like Worldview Baptist Church in Cedartown and to the Boaz Ministries in Rockmart to ensure that items are getting to families in need. Mosaic Place has provided opportunities for giving back, Our House Women’s Shelter and others.

“We try to get it to the people,” she said. “But those are some of the bigger places we’ve been able to help.”

Those who are interested in helping can utilize the drop box at One Door Polk and another soon-to-be added at the City of Rockmart.

Contact Henderson at 678-628-8674.