Shoe Shortage, Donations Needed

By Analiz G. Schremmer

Shoes for Orphan Souls desperately needs to increase the number of shoe donations before the end of 2009.

“Each shoe donation represents a child,” said Julia Stark, program manager for Shoes for Orphan Souls. “So if we are short on shoes, we are short on blessings for these children.”

Rachel Garton, director of Shoes for Orphan Souls, said they are more than 100,000 donations short of what they had at this time last year.

“We had a huge milestone this year when we collected our two millionth pair of shoes, but we are still short of our goal,” Garton said. “We really need people to step up for these children.  We need to go beyond last year.”

Garton said people can help by hosting a shoe drive in their community or by donating a pair of new shoes online.

Garton said that her family has committed to buy each other shoes for orphans instead of gifts for Christmas this year.

“Through Buckner, we have learned the difference between want and need. We don’t need knickknacks for ourselves this year. But these children need their shoes.”

Since 1999, Shoes for Orphan Souls has distributed more than two million pairs of shoes to more than 65 countries around the world.

To make a shoe donation, click here. To sign up to host a shoe drive, click here.