Shoes for Kids

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 2021 summer drive, we were able to meet our goal number of 4500 new pairs of schools for the start of the school year; during the year we collected over 6,823 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 17 years of the project, we have collected and distributed 94,377 new pairs of sneakers.

Here are some facts about the first 17 years of the project

  1. In 17 years 94, 377 new pairs of shoes have been given through this project at $15.00 per pair this amounts to over $1,415,655 in fundraising (YAHOO!)
  2. This school year the largest requests were in the toddler sizes 12/13 and youth 1 - 3
  3. We usually spend the majority of donation monies on sizes 4 - 14 men’s and 4 - 11 women’s.
  4. The sizes we collect include: size 4 toddler - 15 men’s and size 4 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 Sunrise Kiwanis of Port Charlotte 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 2020-21 academic year, we made deliveries of new shoes to the schools nearly every month beginning in August '21.

All monetary donations to the Kiwanis Shoes for Kids Project go directly towards the purchase of new tennis shoes for local school children. You are making an impactful difference in the lives of many youth in our community. We are a 501c3 organization (Kiwanis Club of Port Charlotte Sunrise Foundation)

If you have any questions about the project, please do not hesitate to contact me at: 941-769-0864 or christyksmith@embarqmail.com or christine.smith@fsw.edu.

Sincerely,
Christy Smith
Sunrise Kiwanis of Port Charlotte
Sunrise Kiwanis Shoes for Kids Project Coordinator