Plummeting temperatures and intermittent snowfall can turn any city into a winter wonderland, but they can be extremely dangerous for the homeless. To help keep Michiganders in need warm, Warren-based Art Van Furniture is partnering with Cass Community Social Services during the month of January to collect boots and shoes.
The public is encouraged to participate in the “Shoe In” campaign by cleaning out their closets and delivering any new or gently used shoes to any of Art Van Furniture’s 39 Michigan locations. There will be collection bins at the stores through January 30. The shoes will be distributed to the homeless by Cass Community Social Services.
“When I was a child, my mother would use the old adage that we should ‘walk a mile in the other person’s shoes,’ said Rev. Faith Fowler, executive director of Cass Community Social Services, a Detroit-based non-profit that works in areas of poverty providing programs for health, jobs, housing and food. “It meant, of course, that we should try and understand their circumstances. She wanted us to develop empathy and compassion. What better way to respond to the immediate needs of homeless people than to provide shoes that will keep their feet warm and dry.”
The “Shoe In” campaign is a great opportunity for the public to care for their fellow Michiganders in need and let someone else walk a mile in their shoes.
For more information about the “Shoe In” campaign, including individual store hours, visit artvan.com.
