The South Florida community came together over four weeks during February and March to collect footwear for the needy and homeless – more than 5,000 pairs!
The shoes were donated to Camillus House, founded by brothers from the Catholic Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God.
The charitable organization serves over 34,000 people each year through more than 40 programs and services, according to its website.
Its downtown Miami facilities offer shelter, medical treatment and food and clothing.
The shoe collection effort was organized with Loving Soles, a Miami Lakes non-profit founded in 2011.
The Inguanzo siblings – Sophia, Susanna and Christopher – helped coordinate donations and outreach beyond town borders, the town said.
Last year more than 2,000 pairs of shoes were collected.
To more than double
the donations this year, the students contacted municipalities – the Village
of Pinecrest; the Town of Golden Beach; Bal Harbour Village; North Bay Village; Surfside and the Town
of Southwest Ranches – which displayed donation boxes.
Schoolchildren contributed to the cause as well.
Students at Bob Graham Education Center said they gathered almost 350 pairs of shoes, while 1,500 more sets were donated by students at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic School; Mother of Our Redeemer Catholic School; Monsignor Edward Pace High School and Archbishop McCarthy High School.
The town council helped too, delivering 600 pairs of shoes that had been donated in Miami Lakes.
--Linda Trischitta