Children from Newton’s four elementary schools will benefit from this year’s annual “Shoes That Fit” campaign, which supplies need-specific shoes and clothing to local elementary school students.
The non-profit community outreach program is led by Mediacom, along with Newton business partners Noble All American and First Newton National Bank.
“Shoes That Fit” provides specific shoe and clothing needs to individual children identified by school liaisons. The donations of new shoes, boots, coats or other clothing are often the only genuinely “new” items available to children whose needs have been confidentially assessed.
“The program is about more than shoes,” said Mediacom’s Robert Montgomery, who is the vice president for the company’s OnMedia advertising division. “In many classrooms, teachers will see a child with only one set of clothes and a pair of worn out shoes to wear to school every day. This affects a child’s self-esteem, and it means that learning takes a back seat to embarrassment.
“Thanks to Noble All American and First Newton National Bank, we can help local children feel good about themselves and feel good about being in school. Additionally, people who donate the shoes and clothes to make this program a success will feel especially good about giving tangible assistance to meet the needs of local children.”
Donation cards may be obtained at Noble All American, 2020 W. 20th St. S., and First Newton National Bank, 100 N. Second Ave. W. Donor cards describe the needed items and the specificity of the child’s gender and size. Individual donors shop for the items and return them, unwrapped, to the business. Mediacom’s OnMedia team ensures prompt delivery to the students through the school liaison. Only new shoes and clothing can be accepted.
Items will be accepted through Dec. 1. School partners encourage donors to shop for and return items as soon as possible, especially to get ahead of winter weather and the need for boots and coats.
OnMedia is the cable television advertising division of Mediacom. Local OnMedia employees have coordinated the Shoes That Fit campaign for the past 11 years. Throughout that time they have partnered with more than 50 elementary schools in Des Moines, Newton, Marshalltown and Ames and have donated more than 73,000 “Shoes That Fit” items to elementary school children in need.
For more information, visit www.shoesthatfit.org.