Kids Spread Kindness With Shoe Collection for Those in Need

These kids are pounding the pavement to make a difference in the community.

Well, let’s rephrase that: these kids are taking the sneakers used to pound the pavement to make a difference.

Nineteen members of the Kids4Kindness Club in Long Valley, part of the Morris County 4H, gathered recently to round up hundreds of shoes that were donated by locals, friends and family members.

The group of youngsters met recently at Zion Lutheran Church separated the shoes into two piles – gently used and older shoes. The footwear was then bound in rubber bands and bagged, with the older sneakers being sent to Nike Reuse-a-Shoe. There the sneakers will be ground down to create a new material called Nike Grind, which is used to surface courts, turf fields, tracks and other athletic courses.

The other shoes that were lightly used will be delivered to Soles4Souls in Sussex for under-privileged children and adults.

Twenty-one bags of shoes will go to the Sussex charity – a total of 402 pairs – and another 30 pairs will go to Nike.

Julia and Sydney Babbitt, Clayton Bernardi, Madeleine Boyd, Kelsey Collester, Jack, Olivia and Ryan Janke, Maggie and Jack Layfield, Gabby Lis, Cat, Libby and Kevin Masterson, Caroline Munley, Claudia and Ellie Palmer, Griffin and Noah Paulino all helped make the donation a success.

The shoe collection capped an eventful few months where the Club visited and thanked the local fire companies and first aid squad, and hosted a Super Heroes party for special needs children.

Information and photos provided by Kids4Kindness Club.