FORT LAUDERDALE — Hundreds of students streamed through the cafeteria of Thurgood Marshall Elementary School on Thursday, showing off new kicks, books, and bright smiles.
Through the 4EveryKid initiative, the national nonprofit Soles4Souls and Rick Case Automotive Group partnered to provide brand-name sneakers and books to all 360 of the school’s students, according to Principal Angeline Flowers.
Soles4Souls and Rick Case regularly sponsor initiatives to help housing-insecure children in South Florida, and each year, one Broward school receives an all-school giveaway. Rick Case president and CEO Rita Case said that quality shoes allow children to more confidently participate in school and extracurriculars.
“When I see these kids give me the hugs and the smiles and the excitement of a brand new pair — these are amazing shoes — I know that they’re so happy,” Case said. “And to me, it’s the foundation of the fact that all of the research says they’re going to do better in school with well-fitting shoes.”
Around 60 volunteers, who represented several donor organizations in South Florida, fitted students for their new sneakers inside the cafeteria, where they received the shoes they picked out for themselves.
“I really like the shoes that I got,” said one fifth-grader, who selected a pair of red and black Shaqs. “I feel good about it. It’s pretty cool.”
Tiffany Turner, vice president of outreach at Soles4Souls, said that the organization partners with Broward Schools’ Family and Children Engagement program to identify one school with a high-needs student population for the yearly giveaway.
Administrators at Thurgood Marshall Elementary learned they were selected in August, according to Flowers.
“Some of them have never been fitted before, so this is a new experience for them. One scholar actually did not want to take a pair of shoes because he had never been gifted in such a way,” Flowers said at the event. “We do have a group that’s homeless, we do have scholars that are a little less fortunate. I hope the shoes just make them feel good and put a smile on their face.”
On their way out, the students each selected one free book before returning to class; Case said she hopes the books will inspire students to start home libraries. A first-grader selected “The Big Bug Book” after she received a box of pink and black Reeboks.