A group of children in the Halifax area are set to step into the upcoming school year with a new pair of kicks. A shoe giveaway was held at The Shoe Co. in the Dartmouth Crossing shopping district on Tuesday night. “This is the first 4EveryKid event in partnership with Soles4Souls and the Boys and Girls Club of Atlantic Canada. We’re here tonight to give 50 kids a free pair of shoes,” said Rachael Smith, a district manager with Designer Brands Canada, at the event. It was one of five 4EveryKid events held across Canada this week, aimed at providing new shoes to children in underserved communities. “We’ll be serving approximately 300 children, just in time for back to school, they’ll have the opportunity to get a new pair of athletic shoes,” Smith said. “We’re just so thrilled to be able to be a part of this and give back in our own backyards.” While the 4EveryKid events wrap up on Wednesday, there is still another way people can give back. “We’d love to encourage Canadians to drop off new or gently used footwear at any Shoe Co. or DSW location across Canada. It’s a great way to keep product out of landfills and allows us to give back in a big way,” said Smith. “Those gently used shoes are actually sent to underdeveloped countries, typically to support women in business, to get off their feet and back into the workforce, so donating a pair of shoes not only saves them from going to a landfill, it’s also creating an opportunity for women in other countries. Small actions make big impacts – give shoes and give love.” Designer Brands, which owns The Shoe Co., says it has donated more than nine million pairs of shoes to Soles4Souls since 2018. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
