Sleep Train Shoe Drive Success Helps Foster Kids Put Their Best Foot Forward
Company Collects over 6,500 Pairs of Shoes for Foster Kids – a 30% Annual Increase
May 26, 2011
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Sleep Train is helping foster children throughout the region step out in brand new shoes this month thanks to the support of its community who donated more than 6,500 pairs of new shoes during the company’s annual Shoe Drive for Foster Kids. This is a 1,500 pair increase over last year and will help California’s 60,000 fast-growing foster children run, jump and play in comfortable, properly fitting shoes.
“It’s hard to participate in gym class, play sports or even walk to school when wearing shoes that don’t fit,” said Bill Richardson, district administrator, Koinonia Foster Homes. “When many of our region’s foster children first arrive at a new home, they often have only the shirt on their back, and are ill-equipped without properly fitting shoes. Being able to obtain new shoes for these children is incredibly helpful for foster families, and the kids are thrilled to receive them.
“Our Foster Kids Program strives to serve as an inspiration to our community and other area businesses and show that they too can give back and support at-risk children in our region,” said Terry Horsley, vice president of brand strategy, Sleep Train. “Seeing such significant increases in donations demonstrates that we’re being successful and reinforces our message that while not everyone can be a foster parent, anyone can help a foster child.”
Sleep Train distributes the donated shoes among its twenty regional foster care partners who help make transitioning into a new home a little easier for California’s foster children and their families. If you were unable to participate in this drive, Sleep Train’s Clothing Drive for Foster Kids is on now through July 10th. For foster families on tight budgets, it’s difficult to outfit growing kids and teens, making this drive extremely important. Donations of new clothing items such as shirts, dresses, pants, shorts, and packaged undergarments can be made at any Sleep Train store.
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