East Texas CASA organizations to benefit from multi-county shoe drive

HARRISON COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - Amid the ongoing foster care crisis in Texas, a multi-county donation effort is underway to get more resources for foster care children in the Pineywoods.

The “Heart & Soul Shoe Drive,” led by East Texas Professional Credit Union, will benefit three East Texas CASA organizations.

East Texas CASA, CASA of Harrison County, and CASA of the Pines serve hundreds of foster children in eight East Texas counties, from Upshur to Polk. The shoes collected will go to kids who enter foster care with little-to-no belongings.

“A lot of times [foster children] are not able to gather all of their personal belongings and so they get somewhere and they’ve got hand-me-downs or something like that,” said Executive Director of CASA of Harrison County Wendi Everingham. “Just to be able to have a little bit of their identity returned to them during a stressful situation... it’s a little gesture but it means so very much.”

According to CASA officials, all sizes and styles of new shoes are needed for newborns to teens.

Donations will be accepted through February 14th.

To find the East Texas Professional Credit Union branch closest to you, click here.

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