More than 1,000 pairs of new shoes were handed out to local children in need going back to school Saturday at The Bethel Church through the WJXT-Channel 4 and Kicks for the Kids Positively JAX campaign.– More than a thousand local students will be going back to school in style after the Kicks for the Kids and WJX-Channel 4 Positively JAX campaign helped over 1,700 pairs of new shoes be donated over the past month.
The three-day giveaway which ran Aug. 3-5 at The Bethel Church saw 1,004 children receive their new shoes. The surplus shoes will find a new home at the Kicks for the Kids Store, which will be housed at Andrew Robinson Elementary School. Additionally, we are thrilled to spread the love and impact by distributing the remaining shoes among several local charities, ensuring that our community continues to receive the support and care it truly deserves.
Since 2014, News4JAX and Kicks for the Kids have helped collect over 17,300 pairs of shoes for children in need in kindergarten through high school. Tracy Gaffney , a Kicks for the Kids volunteer and former WJXT-Channel 4 employee, helps a child pick out a new pair of shoes at the Kicks for the Kids giveaway at The Bethel Church.
A special thank you goes out to our business partners who served as drop-off locations for this year’s donations: