LSF collects enough shoes for foster children for the next 15 months

Largo, FL, June 6, 2018 – During the month of May Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) partnered with 25 community organizations to host a shoe drive, Step for Success. Every pair of shoes were donated to Eckerd Connects Raising Hope, a store-front like room filled with necessitates for foster kids.

The goal was to collect 1,000 new pairs of shoes to represent the number of kids LSF serves through this program. With the help of the community, LSF surpassed that goal and collected 1,250 pairs of shoes, which will help outfit kids in care for the next 15 months.

“Kids in care who have lived through some of the most traumatic situations deserve this level of community support and engagement,” Heather King, Executive Program Director for LSF said. “Every day many of these organizations that participated work together to provide stability and care for foster kids, but this campaign has brought us together in new and exciting ways. I promise to continue championing drives that bring out Tampa Bay’s most compassionate people to help deliver daily life essentials to our foster kids.”

Trevon spoke out about the love and support he felt after receiving a brand-new pair of Nike’s Air Jordan from the shoe drive.

“The outpour of community support for this shoe drive shows Tampa Bay people care about kids like me in foster care,” Trevon, a 13-year old foster youth from Pinellas County said.

The generosity from Tampa Bay was overwhelming as local businesses like Kookie Krumbs in Dunedin were trading cookies for shoes! Anyone who brought in a pair of shoes received a half dozen cookies. The Tampa law firm of Frank Charles Miranda Trial Attorneys gave a $500 donation, which bought 25 name brand sneakers for teenage boys from the local Nike outlet!

Local churches also joined the cause. Heritage United Methodist Church hosted a barefoot Sunday service where parishioners attended church that day with a new pair of shoes for the drive. Others directly involved in the system like the Florida Department of Children and Families in Pinellas/Pasco collected an unbelievable 132 pairs of shoes.

During a celebration party today, all the shoes collected were carried by community partners to Eckerd’s Rooms of Hope which are set up like small stores and are filled with fresh clothing, pajamas, shoes, hygiene items, diapers, school supplies and other necessities. The kids come in and are able to “no-cost shop” for the items they not only need, but deserve.

###

Media Contact:

Terri Durdaller, LSF Associate VP of Communications

Terri.durdaller@lsfnet.org

813-802-8790

About Lutheran Services Florida: (LSF) is a non-profit organization transforming lives by ensuring safe children, strong families and vibrant communities. Founded in 1982, LSF currently touches the lives of 1 in 50 Floridians every year through various programs, including early education, youth shelters, foster care, refugee and resettlement services, substance abuse mental health services, and adult guardianship. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, LSF has more than 60 programs throughout Florida and approximately 1,200 dedicated employees.