Shoes That Fit Blog by category: Shoes for Kids

Shoes That Fit is proud to announce that on March 11th our very own volunteer extraordinaire, Linda Ray, will be awarded the Heroes of the Heartland award by Stater Bros. Markets which includes $10,000 to donate to the charity of her choice!

Linda has been working her magic as a Shoes That Fit volunteer since 2004. She has led her Golden State Foods workplace in City of Industry in their Shoes That Fit endeavors, donating 2,234 pairs of brand new athletic shoes to children in need at 39 schools in eastern LA County, the Inland Empire and beyond. Linda’s site is geared to help an additional 7 schools before Spring Break. Potentially 525 more kids will be heading to school with shoes that fit—and smiles on their faces.
 
Linda says Shoes That Fit is more than just a workplace project.
 
“Partnering with Shoes That Fit not only has strengthened our community and our company’s culture,” says Linda, “but it is now a mission within my family that is being passed to a third generation.”
 
Linda’s Shoes That Fit work has inspired other Golden State Foods sites across the country from Washington state to North Carolina. From the beginning of the school year in August 2011 on through this past winter break, Golden State Foods chapters provided 1,674 pairs of new shoes to children in 8 states—all working with the same model Linda helped develop.
 
“Linda has taken time from her busy schedule to participate as a volunteer for our Foundation for many years,” says Renee Uribe, the current GSF Foundation Chair at their site. “Volunteers such as Linda are changing the lives and shaping the future for youth throughout our communities every day. She is truly an inspiration.”
 
 
“While Shoes That Fit is a national organization helping children in 40 states, we are focusing our growth in LA and Orange Counties and the Inland Empire,” says Roni Lomeli, Executive Director of Shoes That Fit. “If we could clone one volunteer to help us achieve our goals, it would be Linda Ray. By lashing her corporation’s commitment to community involvement to her personal and family passion for giving, Linda not only provides new shoes to hundreds of children each year, she inspires others to do the same.”

-->

Shoes That Fit has earned Charity Navigators highest rating of 4-Stars for a second time! With  a new Accountability & Transparency rating dimension added, only 14% of charities rated received this exceptional designation of 2 consecutive 4-Star evaluations.

As many of you know, Shoes That Fit was also evaluated in 2009 and given a 4-Star rating at that time. Since then, Charity Navigator 2.0 established an improved rating system intended to both be fair to the charities rated while also creating a tool that was the most effective in helping donors identify charities that are more or less risky social investments.

In conjuntion with our annual financial evaluation, Accountability & Transparency data was also added.  Charity Navigator felt it important to establish this new scoring since they believe the highest performing charities are those that excel in all areas, not just one.

Shoes That Fit is proud to have earned this exceptional rating and invite you to write a review of Shoes That Fit on our Charity Navigator evaluation page. Charity Navigator is considered America's premiere charity evaluator.

With temperatures soaring here in Southern California, we are pleased to announce the number of new shoes given to children through Shoes That Fit programs is also soaring! Our program manager Lee Kane has been compiling statistics from our volunteers across the country and we are inching closer to the donation of our 1 millionth pair of shoes! As of today, Shoes That Fit has donated 989,636 pairs of new shoes & other items to children in need. Our programs are in over 1,900 schools across 40 states and growing!  We will definitely be celebrating this milestone at our Sneaker Ball in April 2012!

Concerts Under the Stars fundraiser will begin July 30th & continue on August 6th & August 13th. 100% of your $55 donation goes to Shoes That Fit thanks to the Hafif Family Foundation who underwrites the entire cost of the event! Where else can you enjoy appetizers, dinner, dessert & live entertainment in a beautiful 150 acre estate nestled in the foothills of La Verne, CA?
 
MillerCoors will be sponsoring a shoe drive July 25th-August 8th at their Irwindale, CA facility. They have already helped children in need through their partnership with Shoes That Fit & the Irwindale Chamber of Commerce!
 
There are many ways you can keep up with Shoes That Fit:

• ‘LIKE’ us on facebook
• follow us on Twitter
• sign up for our eNewsletter (coming soon!) 

Swing into spring by helping a child in need
 
With the official start of Spring just a few days away, Shoes That Fit is off and running with our annual Spring for Shoes campaign in the Claremont Village, CA! Campaign runs from: March 25 –April 10, 2011. Under the leadership of Joan Bunte, owner of Stamp Your Heart Out, and the generosity of merchants throughout downtown Claremont, 200 local school children in need will be treated to new athletic shoes, socks and other goodies. Participation is as easy as 1, 2, 3!
 

1. You choose an empty basket with a child’s name, age and shoe size from any participating merchant
2. Fill the basket with a new pair of shoes, socks and treats
3. Return the basket to the store you picked it up from

 
And since you’ll already be in The Village picking up your Shoes That Fit basket to help a child in need feel great returning to school from spring break, hop around to some of the other participating merchants and pick up a few springtime goodies for yourself, too!
 
For more information or a complete list of participating merchants, contact Joan Bunte at Stamp Your Heart Out 909-621-4363
 

The holidays are here again. Bright lights, homemade cookies and the warmth of family and friends make us grateful for all we have. But not everyone is having a happy holiday this year. Today, more than ever, there are families who need your help. Shoes are one of the most expensive necessities parents or guardians must provide for their children and if a family has to choose between food on the table or replacing their children's worn and ripped shoes, the stomachs usually win.
 
You, our generous contributors and Shoes That Fit volunteers are making a difference for these children every day. By helping even just a few kids, you are easing the burden on your entire community. Times are hard and you are going above and beyond to make things better in your own backyard. It's not too late to help a child in need this holiday season.
 
Thank You for all you do through Shoes That Fit. I wish you a warm and wonderful holiday season and all the best in the new year.
 

Help us celebrate our 20th Anniversary and 1 million pairs of shoes!
 
Can you believe it? Shoes That Fit has been providing new shoes to children in need across the U.S. since 1992! As we approach our 20th anniversary & donation of our 1 millionth pair of shoes, we look to you, our loyal contributors for inspiration.
 
We will be celebrating these milestones in April 2012 and we need your help in giving our gala a name. Please submit your idea for our event name which best describes both our 20th anniversary & the milestone of providing our 1 millionth pair of shoes.
 
The winning entry will receive 2 free tickets to our gala!
 
Please submit your entry by November 30th, 2010 to barbara@shoesthatfit.org with the subject line “Name Our Gala”

 
Sincerely,

 Roni
 
 

Shoes That Fit chapters across the country (35 states, to be exact) are gearing up for the fall season of helping children in need receive new shoes for school. We are so excited about all the children attending school in comfort and with dignity because of our volunteer force and generous community members like YOU!

• Here in our Emergency Warehouse, we received over 250 pairs of new shoes from our friends at California Sporting Goods Association, the non-profit arm of Division Six Sports and Forde-McGovern & Associates.
• Village Marketing Group helped 400 children return to school with new shoes, socks, backpacks & school supplies!

 Don't miss these upcoming events:

• Ruby's Diner in Newport Beach, CA will hold a Shoes That Fit "Fun"Raiser Friday, Sept.24th, 7am-10pm. They will donate 20% of all food sales to us when you present this flyer!
• Justice Jog 2010  in Century City, CA Sunday, Oct. 17, 8am-10:30am Support Shoes That Fit through this 5K Walk/Run hosted by Greater Los Angeles Association of Legal Administrators. More info & registration at glaala.org!