Operation Warm has partnered with local charitable foundation Laces of Love to provide over 10,000 pairs of brand-new shoes to children recovering from Hurricane Ian. Hurricane Ian, which slammed into Florida two weeks ago, was a destructive Category 4 hurricane—the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since 1935.
In the aftermath of the storm, local organizations like Laces of Love are working to support the needs of their neighbors whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.
Since 2005, Laces of Love has served Collier and Lee counties, among the hardest hit by high winds and flooding. In the last week, Laces of Love has provided 5,600 brand-new shoes to children in Collier and Lee County public schools, where over 60% of students are low-income or in need and where shoes are currently in high demand.
“Our shoe bins were completely empty last week. With inflation, shoe prices have increased, and we struggled to find supply in the local stores. With the devastation around us, it was great to get the call from Operation Warm to fill our shoe bins and our hearts,” said Jeanne Nealon, CEO of Laces of Love. “We are thrilled to partner with Operation Warm and get the shoes to the children who have lost everything. A new pair of shoes does change a child’s life.”
Operation Warm, which manufactures its own line of coats and shoes for kids in need, has provided a shipment of 10,000 brand-new shoes to support the initiative. “We are so grateful for the support of our donors,” said Dick Sanford, Founder, and CEO of Operation Warm. “Without their help, we could not have responded so quickly to support those affected by this disaster. As schools reopen, we want to ensure that the children impacted in these communities are equipped to make their way back into the classroom.” Since 1998, Operation Warm has served nearly 5 million children across North America.
On Sunday, Oct.23, Laces of Love volunteers prepared the shoes for delivery to schools, outreach centers, hurricane disaster relief events, and other agencies like Red Cross, Salvation Army, and United Way in Lee County. The shoes received from Operation Warm will be distributed thru United Way Lee County Resource Center and disaster relief events at local elementary schools.
