About 300 students at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale received brand-new shoes through a partnership between Rick Case Automotive Group and Soles4Souls, a nonprofit that provides shoes to kids in need. The event allowed students to pick and choose a pair of brand-new shoes of their liking and style. Fifth-grader Jasiyah Fain received help from volunteer Celeste to make sure the fit was just right, finding the perfect pair for herself.
“When I saw this one, I was like yeah I like these, nice shoes,” said Jasiyah Fain. Volunteer Celeste emphasized the importance of appearance for student confidence. “Their confidence starts with their appearance,” said Celeste. “They are going to feel better coming to school.”
“They feel more equal to their peers, and they are more excited about going to school,” said Rita Case with Rick Case Automotive. The initiative addresses a significant need among families struggling financially. “When we are sizing kids for an event like this, the child will be in a (size) one, but they really need a (size) three or four, so if families are stretched to make ends meet, things like shoes are not a necessity,” added Soles4Souls VP of Outreach Tiffany Turner.
Thurgood Marshall Principal Angeline Flowers connected proper footwear to academic performance and school attendance. “When you feel good, you do well, you feel confident about learning,” said Flowers. The goal is to make shoes one less worry for families and remove a barrier that could keep students from showing up to school. Many students put their old shoes in a bag to take home, stepping proudly into new ones.
Student Ezequiel Pennington showed immediate satisfaction with his selection. “I’m actually wearing them right now, because it matches my outfit,” said Pennington. Fellow student Lenny Serran also expressed enthusiasm about his choice. “I just saw them and I really liked them cause they match almost everything in my closet,” said Serran. The partnership between Rick Case Automotive Group and Soles4Souls demonstrates how corporate and nonprofit collaboration can address basic student needs that impact educational outcomes.