Analiz G. Schremmer
Buckner International

DALLAS—Thirty-four provisional members of the Junior League of Dallas volunteered 20 hours of their time Sept. 18 and Oct. 2. to sort shoes for orphans and children in need around the world.

“We got to make scarecrows with the kids for October and they decorated cookies and made pumpkin crafts,” said Junior League volunteer Erin Callahan, a full-time law student at Southern Methodist University. “I really like working with these kids because I know they may come from challenging backgrounds and yet here they are volunteering to help others. It’s good to teach them the value of giving.”

The children who volunteered alongside the Junior League members attend the Buckner after-school program at Wynnewood in South Dallas and were treated to arts and crafts, pizza and a new pair of shoes.

Tiffany Hartgraves serves as one of 13 provisional project coordinators for the Junior League of Dallas. She said her committee researched applications submitted by various non-profit organizations interested in working with their provisional members on a service project.

“We selected 13 agencies to work with this year and Buckner was one of them,” Hartgraves said. “It has been such a pleasure to introduce this group of provisional members to Buckner and to help give them the opportunity to learn about all of the wonderful things Buckner is doing in our community and around the world.”

Katie Hogan, a nurse practitioner and member of the Junior League, said that provisional members were given the option of choosing their volunteer project.

“I chose to volunteer with Buckner because I grew up here [in Dallas] and I’d never worked with Buckner before,” Hogan said. “I like the Buckner mission and I like that they work locally and internationally.”

Shoes for Orphan Souls Director Rachel Garton said the volunteers packed more than six pallets of shoes during their time at the Aid Center.

“We could not begin to do all the work we have without our faithful volunteers,” Garton said. “The Junior League has been a wonderful partner for the past two years, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”

The shoes packed by the Junior League members are scheduled for delivery to Mexico, Honduras and the Dominican Republic later this year.

To learn more about the ways you can volunteer your time to sort shoes for orphans, click here or contact Shoes for Orphan Souls at 1-866-774-SHOE.