Care Net pregnancy resource center of Chilton County has begun its annual baby bottle campaign.

The fundraising effort is common throughout Care Nets and other similar programs throughout the nation.

“We’ve got everything from bottles full of pennies to bottles with checks in them for several thousand,” Care Net of Chilton County Executive Director Susan Scott said. “Every penny helps.”

The bottles will be delivered and the campaign will begin on Mothers Day May 14 and end with the bottles being picked up on Fathers Day June 18.

Care Net’s mission is Christian based and promotes the sanctity of life by helping mothers by providing advice and care during their pregnancy.

This makes Mother’s Day a very fitting time for the campaign to get kicked off.

The money raised goes toward making sure that the services currently offered continue. Services include counseling, the distribution of prenatal vitamins, as well as free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds.

“The gospel of Jesus is what we’re all about,” Scott said. “We offer no judgment or condemnation. We’re just there to provide hope.”

According to Scott, it is a fundraiser that the entire family can embrace and be a part of.

“We’ve gotten all sorts of treasures from paper clips to Chuck E. Cheese tokens,” Scott chuckled.

The last time Scott checked, Chilton County had over 130 churches with roughly 2,200 bottles given out each year to churches and other various community groups, which are typically given as high as 250 bottles and as low as eight.

“As long as churches are involved, it doesn’t matter how many bottles they ask for,” Scott said.

The bottles are displayed at the church and also distributed throughout their congregation.

Last year’s total reached $24,477.64, which did not include some bottles that were not returned in time to be counted.

Another initiative that Care Net of Chilton County has become involved with is being a distribution center for the Baby Box program in the state of Alabama.

The program was begun by the Alabama legislature to decrease infant deaths caused by sleeping with adults.

Interested expectant parents can visit www.babyboxco.com in order to begin the process. Care Net also offers the use of a computer for parents to set up accounts, watch the required short parenting videos and print out certificates of completion.

The center is located at 1622 Seventh St. N., Suite 132 in Clanton.