With help from charity, Broward students head home with new shoes
Local 10 News: https://www.local10.com/news/local/2023/04/19/with-help-from-charity-homeless-broward-students-head-home-with-new-shoes/
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (April 19, 2023) – With help from business sponsors, students at a Broward County elementary school got to go home with a new pair of shoes Wednesday.
The Rick Case Automotive Group, in conjunction with “4EveryKid” program, donated hundreds of pairs of shoes to underserved area students, through the Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Homeless Education Assistance Resource Team (HEART).
According to event organizers, Soles4Souls made sure that every student at Mary M. Bethune Elementary School, located at 2400 Meade St. in Hollywood, received a new pair of shoes.
The goal of the 4EveryKid initiative is to provide homeless kids in the community with brand-new, name-brand athletic shoes from popular manufacturers to help build self-esteem among their peer groups while promoting physical activity.
Rita Case, President and CEO of the Rick Case Automotive Group, spearheaded the effort in South Florida, and was joined by other local business sponsors.
Rita and her late husband Rick got involved with Soles4Souls in 2013. They began by providing coats and shoes to children at Boys & Girls Clubs in Broward County, Florida and Idaho.
Organizers said that every child will be getting one pair of shoes in the Fall and one in “Spring for Summer.”
Case told Local 10 News Wednesday that she’s been raising money to keep the program sustainable for five years.
“I totally believe it’s going to make a difference in these children’s lives,” she said.
According to Soles4Souls’ research, more than 1.5 million children in the U.S. don’t have stable housing, and their families lack sufficient resources to meet all their basic needs. More than 18,000 kids in southeast Florida are experiencing homelessness, with at least 7,000 of those in Broward County alone.
A new pair of athletic shoes can directly impact a child’s attitude and performance, both in and out of school.
More than 90% of kids with new shoes were more confident and felt better about attending school regularly, according to a recent study by Soles4Souls.
Since Rick Case Automotive Group became the founding sponsor and chief fundraiser for 4EveryKid Broward in Spring 2022, Rita has already raised nearly $500,000 for the program with many five-year commitments to secure program funding for years, event organizers said.
“This makes me happy to look at the kids and their joy and their face,” Case said. “It’s just amazing.”
Students at Mary Bethune Elementary go shoe shopping provided by Rita Case’s program
By 7 News WSVN: https://wsvn.com/news/local/broward/students-at-mary-bethune-elementary-go-shoe-shopping-provided-by-rita-cases-program/
HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (April 19, 2023) - Some generous people in our community stepped up to help less fortunate children. The students were smiling from head to toe.
The children got an essential tool for a successful school year: new shoes.
“We are here to fit and to match brand new athletic shoes for the kids,” said Rita Case, president and CEO of Rick Case Automotive.
It was shoe shopping day at Mary Bethune Elementary in Hollywood.
“Research says that over 90% of all kids with brand new shoes feel more confident, attend school more regularly, do more activities,” Case said.
Automotive mogul Case helped the kids pick out some great kicks. She started a new program that provides brand new name-brand sneakers to students experiencing homelessness.
The children expressed their gratitude.
“I wanna say, shout out to my mom. I wouldn’t be here without her, and I got good shoes,” said Oren, a fourth grader.
Every child got new kicks and socks. Some of them for the first time.
“Some people have no shoes, and they came out to our school to give these people certain shoes,” said Gia McNeal, a fourth grader.
Gia picked out a white pair.
“They’re Fila, and they’re really, really pretty, and I really, really like them a lot,” said Gia McNeal, a fourth grader.
More than 1,800 children in Southeast Florida are homeless and 7,000 of them are in Broward County.
“It’s because we’re getting new shoes, and I’m so happy,” said student.
Case said the new sneakers can help them feel equal to their peers.
“I want to be sure, and I am committed that every child that needs a pair of athletic shoes gets them for the school year,” Case said.
“I’m very thankful, I’m very grateful for what they gave to me,” Oren said.
The program will provide new sneakers for those kids at the start of every school year for the next five years.