Local real estate office keeps students on the right footing

Sep. 22—In collaboration with a national nonprofit organization, a local real estate office will be delivering shoes and socks to dozens of underprivileged students in Lodi and Stockton in the coming weeks.

The staff at Keller Williams Real Estate on South Lee Avenue kicked off the drive-through campaign "Shoes That Fit" on Wednesday, collecting about 60 pairs of shoes and 30 packs of socks.

Debbie Mason, managing partner of the branch said she and her staff wanted to provide shoes to school children whose families otherwise would not be able to purchase them.

"For example, there was a child (in Stockton) that is from another country," she said. "First day of school, he had cardboard and rubber bands (on his feet). The school calls and says 'we need shoes right away,' so we took them some shoes."

Wednesday's collection was primarily a drive-up and drop-off event, and those who donated received a complimentary lunch form the Keller Williams team.

Not only did the staff accept shoes and socks, but monetary donations as well, in the event that donations were not the right fit for students in need.

"There's always somebody that donates what the need is," Mason said. "We take it to the school, we go to the office and give it to the parent or child privately. They try it on, and if it works, they take it."

If the shoes don't fit, Mason said, then staff will use the monetary donations to purchase a pair that do.

The shoes are collected on an as-needed basis. Keller Williams sent letters to each school in Lodi and Stockton offering to provide shoes to any students who need them.

Then, schools will respond with a list of students in need. Mason said a school called her early Wednesday afternoon with a "a bunch" of students who need footwear.

"Our newest list had about 15-20 pairs of shoes, all different ages, all needs," managing partner Krystal Jeanne said. "So that was our first checklist that we're going to run and collect for."

Managing partner Adam Phillipy said the office has been advertising the drive the last two weeks in an effort to raise better awareness to students' need for footwear.

"The need requests are sporadic," he said. "There's the shoes we collect, and people can drop them off at our office too. We store them here, and then when someone has a need we look through our inventory and see if we have something that fits their need."

Founded in 1992, Shoes That Fit has provided more than 2 million pairs of brand new shoes and other necessities to children across the country.

The nonprofit organization's vision is that every child in America who needs new shoes gets new shoes.

For more information, visit www.shoesthatfit.org. To donate through Keller Williams, call 209-233-3922, or drop items off at its 2 S. Lee Ave. office.