The shoes were provided by the charitable organization Shoes 4 the Shoeless. The nonprofit was formed in 2010 and works with schools in 12 counties in Ohio to provided thousands of pairs of shoes each year.
Kris Horlacher, the organization’s founder and director, said that they reach on average 25,000 children a year, and have given away more than 140,000 pairs of shoes since 2010.
“What I learned along the way is one pair of shoes and socks that fits you is the biggest unmet health need for a child in poverty,” Horlacher said.
Shoes 4 the Shoeless has been working with Springfield City Schools for four years. Horlacher said that her organization usually reaches 5,000 to 6,000 Springfield students. That includes holding events at each of the district’s elementary schools.
The nonprofit usually passes out those shoes in Springfield between the months of September and December. However, this year, that outreach will go into January.
“A lot of our kids come to school in what we think are shoes that fit them. But some of them are two sizes to small, two sizes to big. They might be wearing their siblings’ or sometimes even their parents’ shoes,” said Wilson.
The money used to purchase shoes for Springfield students this year was provided by the local Springfield Eagles Charity. That organization donated $30,000 to those efforts this year, doubling what it donated last year.
“The Springfield eagles paid for every Springfield child to have shoes this year,” Horlacher said.
The event on Friday offered more than just shoes. An anonymous donation of more than 400 toys made sure that every student in the school got a new toy before Christmas.
Terry McGonigle, who is the operations manager for the John Legend Theater, also donated 100 coats to be distributed to students. School faculty and local church members also donated gloves, hats, scarves and mittens.
Springfield Highschool students also volunteered to help fit and pick out shoes for their elementary counterparts on Friday. Volunteers came from the Springfield Football team as well as the local Junior ROTC program.
Springfield football player Christian McMillan said that the experience is very rewarding and it means a lot to see a smile on those children’s faces.
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