Got Sneakers? Belton ISD Seeks Athletic Shoes to Help with District-Wide Fundraiser
Students and staff in the Big Red Community are spending the month of October collecting used athletic shoes with the goal of making a difference locally and worldwide.
The collection is part of a district-wide fundraising campaign and effort to lessen the number of shoes that end up in landfills each year.
“We’re partnering with an organization called ‘GotSneakers,’” said Tiffany Sommerfeld, director of academic advising and counseling, who’s organizing the project. “Each pair of sneakers we collect will be recycled — saved from the landfill — and also earn us money to put toward purchasing new shoes for students in our homeless/foster student program, Project HEARTBEAT.”
The fundraiser is a win-win-win opportunity, Sommerfeld said.
“We’re excited because this project is beneficial to not only the environment and students on the receiving end of new shoes but also for our students, staff and community who are participating,” she said. “As a district we value our students having an understanding of empathy and ability to practice it. This fundraiser gives them that opportunity.”
Each school has a collection bin on campus and will be accepting athletic shoe donations through Oct. 29. The shoes can be in any shape — from “extremely used” all the way to “brand new” — but must be a complete pair to earn compensation.
Sommerfeld said she hopes the Big Red Community unearths tons of old shoes in their closets and garages this month.
“You’ll clear out space in your closet or garage, those old tennis shoes won’t end up in the landfill and our Belton ISD students will benefit,” she said. “It’s the best fundraiser ever!”