Donations Pouring In As OKC Ad Agency Kicks Off Shoe Drive For City's Homeless

A local ad agency just kicked off a shoe drive to benefit Oklahoma City's homeless population.

Kicks for Kindness is going on right now at Insight Creative Group downtown.

See Related Story: OKC Ad Agency To Kick Off Shoe Drive For Homeless

Shoe lovers like myself often take what we have for granted, but there are hundreds of people on the street who do not even have one good pair to put on their feet.

Curbside Chronicle vendor Terri Lee has been selling magazines in her sole pair of sneakers all year.

“I got these for Christmas from a customer,” she told me. “The bottoms are falling out. It’s time for new ones.”

Terri and her husband have worked their way out of homelessness, but with two children to provide for, it is still hard for them to make ends meet.

“I wear my husband's clothes,” she said. “It's sad.”

For Terri and many more Oklahomans like her, shoes should no longer be a concern, thanks to the Kicks for Kindness drive that kicked off this week.

“You don’t have to reach into your pocket,” pointed out ICG content manager Lisha Dunlap. “You can reach into your closet, and it costs you nothing, and it really does make a difference in the life of someone else.”

ICG employees came up with the campaign after seeing the need with their own eyes doing outreach.

Dunlap said, “One of the last times we went, we saw two children who were barefoot.”

Dunlap says the donations are already rolling in, but do not think your help is not needed.

“We could have thousands of shoes and not have enough,” she said.

Terri was able to find the perfect pair, for herself and her husband.

Sneakers and work boots are best, but even heels are welcome. They will be heading to the Homeless Alliance, City Rescue Mission, the Pivot program and other Curbside vendors pounding the pavement.

“These will be nice in the heat out there,” Terri said.

You can bring your kicks to ICG at 19 Northeast 9^th Street downtown through the end of the month, and on weekends, drop them off at Commonplace Books at 1325 North Walker Avenue in Midtown.