Shoes for Haiti

The children of Cannon Beach Children's Center are holding a shoe drive, inspired by the children of Haiti.

Neal Maine

The preschool children from the Cannon Beach Preschool and Children's Center are inviting Cannon Beach residents to help them with their Soles for Souls Campaign.

How does one begin to help really young children understand a disaster like the earthquake in Haiti? And how can those children reach out and help the thousands of children affected?

This was the dilemma facing Carol Lynch and the staff at Cannon Beach Children's Center. With so much in the media about the earthquake, and pictures of it nearly everywhere, it was a natural topic of conversation at the Center. It occasioned a visit from a local Red Cross representative to explain emergency procedures to the children and for them to go over their own earthquake-tsunami drills (which they do regularly anyway).

But what can these kids do for the children of Haiti?
"Every year the Center's children do some sort of 'giving back' project," said Lynch. "Why not do something this year for the children of Haiti?"

The inspiration for a shoe drive came as she was listening to a broadcast of NPR's "All Things Considered."

"They were interviewing someone who works with Soles for Souls, an organization that collects gently-used shoes and distributes them to people in need all over the world. Even our youngest children," said Lynch, "can understand the need for shoes."

The program is simple: from Feb. 8 until Feb. 28, gently-used shoes in all sizes and styles can be left at four drop-off points in Cannon Beach. The shoes will be sent to the Soles for Souls agency for distribution. Because they distribute all over the world, these particular shoes may not end up in Haiti, but they will be given to someone in need. And the children of Haiti will receive shoes! (Adult-sized dress shoes will be given to the Dress for Success program.) A donation of $1 per pair is also requested to help with shipping the shoes.

The drop-off boxes for the shoes will be at the Cannon Beach Children's Center, US Bank, Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce, and the Cannon Beach Elementary School.
For more information on the shoe drive, call the Children's Center at (503) 436-1040. For information on Soles for Souls, visit the Web site soles4souls.org.