Written by Tanya Terry, with photos courtesy of Donation With Love
On September 13, Donation With Love Foundation will show young people in the Flint and surrounding areas how much they care, in their own way. The organization is presenting their annual “If Shoes Could Talk” event. It is a free event to attend, open to the public.
“We don’t just give back shoes,” Dr. Darcele Cole-Robinson, president of Donation With Love Foundation. “We have resources that are available to help a family maneuver and navigate throughout the school year.”
Donation With Love previously held the event in November, offering shoes, as well as hoodies and other items appropriate for the time of year. The November events were held at Center of Hope.
“Then we decided to adopt a school where we can make sure that the kids will be able to get brand new shoes for school,” stated Cole-Robinson.
If Shoes Could Talk was held at Greater Heights last year, but will be at Richfield Academy Public School this year, located at 4358 Richfield Rd., in Flint.
The Donation With Love team calls area schools and talks to their superintendents to see if they would like to collaborate with the organization to hold the event.
Cole-Robinson shared that her organization received grant funding to serve areas of greater need. This includes the 48502, 48505 and 48506 zip code areas.
“We do have one area in Davison and Mt. Morris – and we can help in those high poverty areas.”
Besides giving away necessary items to school-aged children, Donation With Love is focused on educating on medication safety, crisis intervention, suicide prevention and other programs in the community.
“We do workshops to improve health and wellness, literacy, youth development – and we work with youth, adults and seniors. So, we decided to make If Shoes Could Talk an annual event where we could have all these resources. We’ll also be able to help children with new shoes, socks, new school supplies, free haircuts for boys, fun and games (bounce house, a playground and face painting) and everything on this annual event.”
The shoes and socks available range from 12 toddler for kindergarten to size 13 shoes adult for 8th graders.
Multiple vendors will also be in attendance and available for attendees, with many of them to be offering swag.
Last August, Cole-Robinson and her team served over the amount of children and youth they expected to.
“After the event, we went to home and gave children shoes because some of the parents didn’t have rides to get to the school.”
Catch My Breathe, Live Free is the topic for this year’s event. Cole-Robinson explained this will address poverty, safe medication, crisis intervention, over the counter prescription drugs and health and wellness.
“I believe it’s very important because we all probably know someone who is struggling with those challenges. So, we want to help our families and educate them on what they can do to help others or themselves.”
Veterans’ services will also be made available.
“We will also have New Path there. They will be offering Narcan training and have Nacan for those that need it.”
Cole-Robinson said she enjoys seeing the children’s expressions when they receive shoes, haircuts and other items at the event.
“They’re just overjoyed like Christmas.”
The grant for the event and other Donation With Love programs and activities was given by Community Foundation of Greater Flint Mott Children’s Health Center Roy Peterson Fund. Cole-Robinson also expressed gratitude for Meijer, Molina, Simone’s Place daycare, Moon Funeral Home, Umo Strong Outreach and Dort Federal.
The motto for Donation With Love Foundation is: “When we refresh others in giving, we refresh ourselves.”
Vendors who will be present at the upcoming event are listed below:
Michigan Rehabilitation
WOW Outreach
New Path
MSU extension
Umo Strong
Molina
Palace Designs
Ennis Center
.
