The Central Missouri Foster Care & Adoption Association is raising awareness for Missouri's foster children with the "Shoe In For Foster Care" campaign by collecting donated shoes and lining the state Capitol lawn with the shoes from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 13.
The association's goal is to collect at least 10,000 pairs of shoes, representing each of the more than 10,000 children currently in foster care programs throughout Missouri.
StorageMart locations in Columbia and Jefferson City are hosting the "Shoe In For Foster Care" shoe drive to collect shoes for the event. Donated shoes will be accepted through May 12 at each StorageMart location during office hours. Jefferson City's StorageMart is located at 2420 St. Mary's Blvd.
"Collaboration with partners like StorageMart is what allows CMFCAA to shine a spotlight on children in foster care," said DeAnna Alonso, executive director of the association. "With May being Foster Care Awareness Month, we're inviting everyone to join with CMFCAA and StorageMart to put their "Shoe In For Foster Care' by helping us to collect one pair of shoes for each child in foster care in the state of Missouri."
Following the event, the association will gift the donated shoes to Hope for Caribbean Kids Inc., which will work in coordination with the Shoeman Water Project to sell the shoes in order to help fund building schools in Haiti and clean water programs in both Haiti and Kenya.