Organizers of an annual Lawrence shoe drive are collecting gently used or new children’s shoe donations, and money raised during the event will be given to Just Food, the Douglas County food bank.
JD Woods and Anthony Harvey Jr., both Lawrence High School alumni, are gearing up for their fifth annual “Kicks 4 Kids” event. They wanted to give back to their hometown community, and they generated the idea for a shoe drive while sitting on their friend Jaycee Mountain’s couch in 2020, Woods said.
Kicks 4 Kids allows local youth ages 18 and younger to pick out free shoes as the new school year begins. Woods and Harvey Jr. have also hosted Coats 4 Kids events during past winters.
“For us, it’s making people happy. That’s what it’s all about — seeing the kids and their families happy,” Woods said. “And then, you know, getting to do something with my best friend. It’s been more than what we could have asked for.”
Woods said Kicks 4 Kids usually results in around 200 pairs of shoes being distributed, and it also raises funds for a local organization each year. This year, they’ve chosen Just Food.
Just Food, which serves individuals and families all throughout the county, has recently experienced supply shortages as the cost of food and cost of living rise. As a food bank, it supplies more than 30 partners, and around 20 of those are schools.
The Kicks 4 Kids drive is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 14 at LHS, 1901 Louisiana St., in the south parking lot. Shoes will be distributed first-come, first-served.
Contact Woods at 785-431-5075 and Harvey at 785-979-7755 with questions or to coordinate shoe donation dropoffs ahead of time. The two are also available to pick up shoe donations this week, Woods said, and people can bring them to the event, as well. Volunteers will be there at 8 a.m. Saturday to begin setting up.
Woods said shoe sizes for little kids ages 2 to 9 are particularly needed, but donations of gently used or new shoes in all styles and sizes are welcome.
The plan is to collect monetary donations for Just Food during the event, according to Woods, so folks can bring cash or checks or contact Harvey for other options.
Additionally, Woods emphasized that folks will not be able to get shoes outside of the 9 a.m. to noon window, so arriving on time is important.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
