BELL COUNTY, Texas — Starting Nov. 15 through Dec. 15, 6 News is partnering up with Communities In Schools (CIS) of Greater Central Texas to collect new shoes for students in need.
This is the 17th year of their annual Shoes 4 Kids drive where CIS hopes to stock up on shoes to give to students in need year-round. Servicing over 6,000 students in the area, the local organization has a mission to keep kids in school, whatever it takes.
As site coordinators for CIS, it is Nancy Rodriguez and David Woodberry's jobs to help make the mission happen.
"The message of success is very important and it's important for children to know that they can be successful in their space and they can be successful where they're at," Rodriguez said.
"We can't turn away from those children because somebody's gotta be there for them so that they know that they can have successes in school if somebody is just helping take care of the little basic things that they need," Woodberry added.
It could be numerous elements creating challenges for students like economic needs, academics, behavior issues, truancy issues or social service matters, but regardless, as an organization, CIS ensures students are a shoo-in for success.
To be as successful as possible, CIS needs the community to step in and help.
"Community In Schools does a great job at eliminating that obstacle for children and so by [you] donating, [you're] helping us to meet our goal, accomplish our mission," Woodberry said.
The site coordinators said over the years the need for shoes hasn't grown necessarily, it's just become more visible. They are trained to know when to step in and get a student a new pair of shoes, which they said is shockingly a lot of students every year.
"Just this morning, I had a student who needed shoes," Rodriguez said. "Her shoes were actually falling apart, but she has a little sister who also needed shoes and she told me if you only have one pair of shoes, give it to my sister. So, just know that the students are going to appreciate what is donated and it is greatly needed."
The Shoes 4 Kids drive is for that hopeful young girl that Rodriguez talked about and the hundreds of others who just need to step into something new.
Woodberry recalls a certain case that reminded him how important it is for kids to feel confident and have good self-esteem.
"I washed his feet and put him on those nice socks and those brand-new shoes. and he told everybody in the whole school," Woodberry reflected. "I realized that later on that, you know, though, me doing that to him made him feel that I cared enough about him to do it and he has some nice comfortable shoes. He had a wonderful day, you know."
6 News is hosting a one day shoe drive event on Nov. 20 at Fort Hood Area Association of Realtors. Bring new shoes between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. It's at 306 W. Mary Jane Dr. in Killeen.
You can donate to the locations listed below at anytime between Nov. 15 to Dec. 15.
- Communities in Schools, 4520 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 106, Killeen
- Central Texas College Student Lounge, 6200 W. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen
- Texas A&M Central Texas, 1001 Leadership Place, Killeen
- Carlson Law Firm, 100 E. Central Texas Expressway, Killeen
- Carlson Law Firm, 2010 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Suite 201, Temple
- Salado ISD Admin Building, 601 N. Main St., Salado