SPOKANE, Wash. — While summer moves on students are getting closer and closer to the return of school. As the school year approaches, some local organizations are doing their best to make sure students will be equipped with the essentials before heading back to the classroom.
One group in particular, Mission Community Outreach Center is hosting their 13th annual shoe drive through August 10. Anyone can stop by and drop off a new pair of athletic shoes. The shoes will be donated to students in need.
In 2022, Mission Community Outreach gave out 1,680 pairs of shoes to children in need. In 2023 they anticipate that number to be over 2,000 pairs of shoes.
The overall goal of the shoe drive is to help ease the financial burden for those who may not have the funds or the access to buy their kids new kicks. MCOC Executive Director, Ali Norris said, “We know there’s a lot that are struggling, and a new pair of shoes may not seem like a ton to everybody, but for families that have a few kids, maybe that’s $100 they can use on food or rent or other essentials that they don’t have access to all the time.”
If you’re able to buy a new pair of shoes or socks, you can drop them off a few places. They include:
- Mission Community Outreach Center
- Wallaroos furniture store until August 10th- They have several locations. Two in Spokane and two in Spokane Valley
- BECU will also be collecting donations from July 31st until August 7th
If you need assistance and new shoes would help your family, registration for the drive opens on August 1st. Click here to register.
Any child from preschool through 8th grade will be eligible to receive a new pair of shoes.
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