Everyone’s been affected by our global health crisis, but the people we serve—families already struggling to make their basic needs—have been absolutely devastated.
Among the most vulnerable at this moment are children. As COVID-19-related evictions accelerate, more and more kids are losing their homes, their belongings, and their sense of safety and dignity.
At Soles4Souls, we can’t solve the housing and eviction crisis. But in this difficult season, we’re determined to show homeless kids they matter, by providing every one of those with a pair of shoes.
“We know a pair of shoes isn’t simply a pair of shoes—not to a child who has none. … What I hope that you can understand is the emotional impact of living with so much shame and uncertainty, and then receiving something that is yours, and that is new, and that is sized and picked just for you.
“For me, having a new pair of shoes … meant that I was worthy. It meant I had a choice when choice was such a rare commodity in my life. I meant that I could walk and jump and move without pain. It meant that I had dignity.” – Khadijah Williams, a survivor of homelessness and advocate for homeless youth