EAST POINT, Ga. — It's hard to put a price tag on dignity. No one knows that better than the founder & CEO of Caring For Others, Eslene Richmond-Shockley. Raised in poverty in a village in Guyana, Shockley knew the value of having a new pair of shoes which she said didn't happen until age 8.
"I can still remember the smell of my first new shoes," recalled Shockley, "I remember the smell of that rubber. I was the happiest girl in my village."
Celebrating its sixth year, the annual 'No Bare Soles' shoe distribution event is just one of several events sponsored by the local non-profit. 'No Bare Soles' was held this past Saturday at the Caring For Others headquarters where a projected 3,000 pairs of sneakers amongst other essential school supplies were available for low-income or other disadvantaged households. Dozens of families were onsite to take advantage of the free giveaway.
Shockley stated, "What we do here at Caring For Others. We try to help those who do not have the necessities to feel good about themselves. To give them the opportunity of a second chance in life.
Although the event was scheduled for 11 a.m., there were people in line as early as 7:30. Seemingly some folks were committed to no missing out on this event. The 'No Bare Soles' event offered not only new shoes but socks, t-shirts, backpacks, lunch boxes and notebooks to offer parents and other hardworking caregivers the chance to get their children ready for school on the right foot.
For more information about the No Bare Soles and Caring For Others, visit their website.
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