Campaign stepping up to provide shoes for kids in need

By Lethbridge Herald on July 18, 2024.

Campaign president Mallory Kristjanson talks to reporters about the fourth annual Shoes for Kids YQL campaign on Thursday at the Lethbridge Police Services station. Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Shoes for Kids YQL is back for their fourth year to collect brand new shoes for children and youth of southwestern Alberta with the help of the community, multiple police agencies and other organizations. 

Mallory Kristjanson, president of Shoes for Kids YQL, said Thursday during the campaign launch that this year the shoe drive will take place on Aug. 17 at Murray Chevrolet from 10 a.m. until noon and they will be hosting the event with the support from Piikani RCMP, local RCMP detachment, Taber Police Services, Blood Tribe Police Services, Lethbridge Police Services officers, Community Peace Officers and The watch, Napi Friendship Association and Lethbridge Family Services. 

“We are so grateful that every single year we can come together to help hundreds of local students and students throughout indigenous communities in southwest Alberta,” said Kristjanson. 

She said their numbers continue to double, the need for shoes continues to double as a result of individuals facing poverty, families separating and other circumstances. 

“There are so many external factors that we have witnessed first-hand, not only as those providing the shoes, but also as first responders in the community and surrounding areas,” said Kristjanson. 

She said they want to celebrate the fact that these first responders are working every day to keep the community safe, while also stepping up to ensure that children and youth are supplied with brand new shoes. 

“These students are able to walk to and from school as a result of shoes. These children are able to feel a part of their community with their peers and have the same dignity to be able to participate in gym class along with extracurricular activities,” said Kristjanson. 

She said this year they were able to help more than 85 students participate in extracurricular activities such as volleyball, basketball and soccer that started this year. 

Kristjanson shared a success story of a local Grade 10 high school student who she was able to connect with and provide shoes for, who was able to take part in her high school basketball team because of it. 

“The shoes she had were hand-me-downs. I was able to provide her with an absolute brand new pair of shoes and she crushed her basketball season as a result. I was able to witness the tears falling down parents’ face,” said Kristjanson. 

She explained that Shoes for Kids YQL is not about someone needing help because they are living in poverty, but also because other circumstances can make it difficult to afford a pair of brand new shoes. 

“If you are a single parent or a kinship provider and things are just tough, reach out. Our team understands, our team has single parents, we are all volunteers, we do this because we know that times are tough, we do this because we know every single child deserves a brand new pair of shoes,” said Kristjanson. 

She said for youth they make sure the shoes are brand name so that they fit in with  their peers because they know that kids can be mean sometimes.  

“We want to make sure that those shoes are exactly what their friends are wearing as well and that they can rock them and feel good about themselves and everything they’re participating in,” said Kristjanson. 

This year the shoe drive will include a barbecue with proceeds going towards Shoes for Kids YQL and LPS Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh will be in charge of the grill. 

“We have our chief of police flipping burgers, so please come on out. He is a great chef and he looks forward to ensuring that everybody has a nice burger while doing some fellowship and the ability to come and connect as a community and make sure that we can reach as many children as we can,” said Kristjanson. 

Mehdizadeh said he is happy to be able to help Kristjanson fulfill her vision of helping children and youth obtain new pairs of shoes. 

“When you look at policing and first responders, obviously we have a role to play to provide safety for our citizens, but equally important we have a role to play to build our community and we’re very proud to help Mallory with her vision,” said Mehdizadeh. 

This year their goal is to raise $20,000 and over 300 pairs of shoes. People interested in helping out can drop off shoes at Freddy’s Paint or the LPS police station and those interested in making monetary donations can stop by any RBC branch to make a donation under Shoes for Kids YQL.