The Kiwanis Shoes for Kids Project's purpose is to provide new tennis shoes to any student in the Charlotte County Public School System which needs them to begin the new school year or throughout the academic year. During the 2022 summer drive, we were able to meet our goal number of 4,100 new pairs of shoes for the start of the school year; during the year we collected over 6,800 pairs of new sneakers.

Throughout the academic year, we strive to continually meet the shoe needs of local school children. We know this goal is only realized through the hope and faith of our community. Thank you for considering this project. In the first 18 years of the project, we have collected and distributed over 100,000 new pairs of sneakers.

Here are some facts about the first 18 years of the project

  1. In 18 years 100,000 new pairs of shoes have been given through this project at an average$15.00 per pair this amounts to over $1,494,165 in fundraising (YAHOO!)
  2. This school year the largest requests are in the toddler sizes 11-13 and youth 1-6.
  3. We usually spend the majority of donation monies on sizes 4 - 14 boys/men's and 4 - 11 girls/women’s.
  4. The sizes we collect include: size 6 toddler - 15 men’s and size 6 toddler - 11 women’s.
  5. We collect only new sneakers (tennis shoes) so that these same shoes can be worn for gym class.
  6. Approximately 75% of the shoes are delivered to the Elementary Schools.
  7. The Shoes for Kids Project began in full swing at Edison State College in 2005; in 2007 the Kiwanis Club of Port Charlotte Sunrise became the major sponsor.
  8. We deliver to all of the schools in the system – Baker Pre-K, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, Charlotte Harbor Center, the Academy and Crossroads Hope Academy.
  9. During the 2022-23 academic year, we delivered new shoes to the schools nearly every month beginning in August 2022.

You will make a direct impact difference in the lives of youth in our community. The Kiwanis Shoes for Kids is part of the Kiwanis Club of Port Charlotte Sunrise Foundation and is a 501c3 organization.

For more information, please call:

941-336-2411