Woohoo!! Thanks to Marisa, I contacted SolesforSouls this weekend and I've already heard back from them. They are going to donate shoes for the whole family! Isn't that incrediable?! It's a great organization, their current big project is to send a million shoes to the Sudan to help all of those shoeless people. I couldn't believe that I contacted them this weekend and heard from them by 8:30 this morning. Amazing!

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Kelli

Hi. My mom teaches kindergarten in a very very poor country school district in Oklahoma. She's always got really sad stories about how the kids don't have clothes that fit, they aren't clean, etc. I think it's pretty overwhelming to see kids like that regularly since there is not much that can be done to help them. However, there is one child who is particularly bad off. They've had to send him home repeatedly and say he couldn't come back unless he bathed. Well, a few days ago it was particulary bad and the principal called the mom and told her she had to come pick up her kids. There are 5. My mom tried to help him get cleaned up a little in the bathroom before she got there. She had him take off his boot and they are so small on his feet his little toes were curled up at the end. Then the smell was so strong that my mom could feel her stomach rolling and she had to leave the room so she wouldn't throw up infront of him. They got someone to donate a pair of tennis shoes to him, but they were way too big and had a hole in the bottom. Neverless, he kept telling my mom "thank you" all day and how his feet had never felt so good.

So all this brings me to my point: Is there some place, like a charitable organization, where needy families can get things for free? My mom called some local churches with no luck. I think the parents are completely neglectful and wouldn't try to get them shoes and clothes, but I'd like to see if there is anything we could do. I live in a bigger town than my parents, so we have some organizations.

I appreciate any suggestions!

Thanks!