 Soles to Soar
- Shoes for Homeless Children
As part of Leadership 2000, Class XXIII, we
heard from the Advocate for homeless students in Wyandotte County. She
and her team of five have identified 1,100 homeless students. Their
average age is seven (7) years old.
The advocates believe there are many
more who they have not yet identified because the shame and stigma of
homelessness is so huge that children in school hide their circumstances
so they will not be teased or hurt by others. These children need shoes.
Shoes which are weather appropriate and shoes which, for most children,
they outgrow once or twice a year are needed desperately.
She told us
stories of taking the children with their own shoe gift certificates and
watching them get measured for correctly fitting shoes for the first
time in their lives; of being able to pick their own brand new pair and
being able to get socks too. Having new shoes is a great social
equalizer for children who mostly hide their homeless status.
So I am asking each of you to join me and match my $25 donation to get
shoes and socks for every identified homeless student--if each of you
would match the gift and then ask five of your friends to match your
gift, we could provide gift certificates for every single identified
child for the whole school year.
Your gift is 100% tax deductible (we will get you a letter) and your
checks can be made out to Leadership 2000--please note 'shoes' in the
memo section. Or you could send your matching check directly to me, but
made out to Leadership 2000.
The idea of being able to provide for every one of these children seems
so doable to me, please consider being one of the people who gets new
shoes for homeless students.
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