Newark woman aims to give every homeless child in Delaware a new pair of shoes

In 1998, Joanne Glauser read a magazine article about a nonprofit that provides shoes to homeless kids. Looking for something to do that would provide more gratification that her corporate banking job, she contacted the organizer and agreed to start a Delaware chapter.

Thus began Glauser's 26-year association with Shoes that Fit. Glauser estimates she has provided nearly 40,000 Delaware children with shoes over the years, all while balancing her nonprofit work with her full-time day job and raising her kids.

“It keeps me grounded because it helps me to remember that I'm lucky. And when you're lucky, you should be giving back,” said Glauser, who lives north of Newark. “These students are the future of this country.”

Shoes that Fit was founded in California in 1992 and now has chapters in all 50 states. Last year, it helped nearly 165,000 kids nationwide.

Glauser said that in the early days, she did all the purchasing, but now the nonprofit buys new shoes at a bulk rate and runs a fulfillment warehouse in California.

Glauser, with help from her husband John, coordinates local fundraising and works with each school district's on-staff homeless advocate to identify the students in need of shoes.

She estimates that the Delaware chapter gives out an average of 1,500 pairs of shoes each year, but that number is expected to grow substantially this year after the Friends of Fusion Foundation signed on as a financial supporter.

“What we would like to do is help every homeless kid in Delaware this year,” she said.

That equates to approximately 3,300 kids, and Glauser said significant fundraising is still needed to achieve that goal. If funding allows, she would like to expand the effort to foster kids and students from low-income families.

Friends of Fusion has committed $30,000, and Glauser is trying to raise another $30,000 through community donations. Due to bulk discounts, just $30 can provide a child with a new pair of shoes.

For kids who are homeless, a new pair of shoes can provide a sense of comfort, Glauser said.

“Having a pair of shoes is giving them an uplift in terms of their self-esteem,” she said. “Somebody cared about them and wanted to do something for them.”

The donations are all name-brand shoes, like Nike and Adidas, helping kids to fit in with their peers.

“It removes one obstacle. They can get to school without having wet feet or cramped feet, not be bullied, and they can concentrate on their education,” Glauser said. “It creates a different dynamic for them. It could change the trajectory of their lives.”