Lincoln residents stepped up to make sure homeless men, women and children have a pair of shoes to wear. On Friday the kickoff to 11th Annual One Day Without Shoes campaign distribution was held at People’s City Mission Help Center at 68th and P St.
Since 2011, Cornhusker Bank and People’s City Mission have partnered to help raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a person’s life by hosting the event each year. The public was encouraged to bring new or used shoes or drop off cash donations to help put good shoes on the feet of Lincoln’s less fortunate. This year 20,000 pairs of shoes were collected and will be distributed in the coming days.
In the previous 10 years of hosting this event, Cornhusker Bank’s seven locations and many local businesses have collected more than 182,000 pairs of shoes and monetary donations totaling over $87,000. On Friday bank officials present a $7,000 check to Pastor Tom Barber, executive director of the mission. “These are people who are giving shoes from their closet and buying new shoes.” Barber says 10 to 20 percent of the shoes they received are brand new.
