Soles4Souls partners with MNPS for volunteer event to benefit students in need

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Soles4Souls partnered with Metro School’s HERO program for a volunteering event benefiting the Soles4Souls’ 4EveryKid initiative.

“We hope they go out of that office of a social worker or a counselor with a spring in their step,” said Tiffany Turner, Vice President of Outreach Soles4Souls

Monday afternoon, volunteers packed close to 100 bags with new shoes and socks for students in Davidson County who are impacted by homelessness.

“A lot of times we have brothers and sisters in the same schools or brothers, so we try to give them comparable looking shoes. But a lot of thought goes into it. That’s what I take pride in. Making sure they are happy,” explained John Marinak, Lead Volunteer.

According to Jami Oakley with the MNPS HERO Program, so far this school year 1700 students qualify for the HERO program and that number is expected to grow.

“All of these shoes come from our partnership with Soles4Souls. Since we are in this big new space, they are able to give us thousands of pairs of shoes at once. So, when we get a list of our kids, and we get their size information we can go through and pick exactly what we think is right for that student,” stated Oakley.

All items packed for students were prepped at Buena Vista Elementary School which is the HERO program home base where all donations are collected and distributed.

“At the end of the day our hope is that when that child opens that bag today and puts those shoes on, they feel that sense of dignity. They feel happiness and joy,” Turner explained.

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