Just around the corner...

YWCA Distribution-November 2010



On a beautiful fall day I traveled to the Davidson County YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter to distribute shoes on behalf of Soles4Souls. With about 20-30 pairs in my car, I arrived at the shelter to distribute shoes to the current shelter residents.

As we prepared the shoes for the women in the shelter to come receive them, I learned that there are over 20 women and roughly 15-20 children currently living in the shelter. These women and children come to the Y to flee domestic violence situations, some of them with just the clothes on their back and shoes on their feet. They come to an undisclosed location for safety, so that they can rebuild their lives without continuing to live in the physical, mental and verbal abuse many of them have suffered from.

As the ladies came out, I was greeted by friendly faces that enjoyed choosing a new pair of shoes that fit just right. Many of the shoes I brought were from Red Wing, and they were perfect shoes for some of the women that had started new jobs where sturdy, protective footwear were just what they needed. One woman was overcome by emotion as she received her new shoes, stating that her new pair now made 2 pairs she had to wear now. The gratitude and thankfulness in their voices made me well aware of the need they had for shoes, and just how much they appreciated it.

I fit two young boys, brothers 9 and 11, with new shoes as well. Seeing their eyes light up over new sneakers and being able to lace them up tight was a great experience! They were so thrilled to have a nice, new pair of shoes to go to school with.

I was reminded as I left the YWCA that day that although Soles4Souls distributes to over 125 countries worldwide, there are SO many needs here in the US as well. We never know what our neighbor, co-worker, or even close friend may be going through. Sometimes something so simple as the gift of shoes can help change their world for the better. Someone not TOO far from you is hurting, and is in trouble.

Every time I go on a distribution for Soles4Souls, I again realize the importance of our mission and it always puts everything into focus for me. You cannot out-give, out-love, out-serve.