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Texas Baptists to collect Shoes for Orphan Souls®

Churches to collect shoes, bring them to Texas Baptist Family Gathering in San Antonio July 14-17


DALLAS— Buckner International is teaming up with Texas Baptists to encourage Baptist churches across the state to collect new shoes now through July 14 and bring them to the first-ever Texas Baptist Family Gathering, which will take place July 14 – 17 in San Antonio, Texas. Shoes collected will benefit vulnerable children in the Rio Grande Valley and around the world.

“As a long-time Texas Baptist, it is inspiring to see our Baptist family join together in the spirit of the Lord to serve orphans and vulnerable children,” said Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International. “This year’s gathering has the potential to bring about redemptive transformation in the lives of thousands of lives around the world. New shoes are just the beginning. We are blessed and humbled to be a part of this movement.”

Last year, Buckner partnered with the Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas to collect more than 3,000 pairs of shoes and 994 pairs of socks. This year’s collection is expected to benefit even more children through the generous donation of new shoes from churches affiliated with the Hispanic Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the National African American Fellowship.

Shoes collected will be sorted and packed at the Family Gathering for distribution to vulnerable children. For additional information on how your church can be a part of the shoe drive, click here.

Churches interested in volunteering will have the opportunity to personally place shoes onto children’s feet during Buckner’s Mission Day in the Valley on Saturday, Aug. 17. For more information on how you can sign up for the volunteer day, click here.

According to The State of the World’s Children as reported by UNICEF, there are 148 million orphans around the world. Orphanages do not receive enough funding to support the children in their care. One of the greatest and most immediate needs is a pair of shoes. Many of the children receive one pair of shoes to last the entire year, and some don’t have shoes at all. Shoes also protect feet from many diseases and help impoverished children go to school, since most schools around the world consider shoes to be an essential item.

Due to customs regulations and the desire for children to receive a new pair of shoes, Buckner only accepts new shoes and socks. The greatest need is for leather or canvas athletic shoes sizes Youth 1 – Adult 7.

For more information, please contact the Shoes for Orphan Souls team at 1-866-774-SHOE or e-mail shoes@buckner.org. For more information about Shoes for Orphan Souls®, please visit www.buckner.org/shoes.

About Buckner International:
For more than 134 years, Buckner International has been transforming lives through hands-on ministry, serving the most vulnerable from the beginning to the end of life. Buckner is one of the oldest and most unique faith-based social service organizations of its kind, serving more than 450,000 people each year in the United States and 18 countries worldwide.

About Shoes for Orphan Souls®:
Shoes for Orphan Souls®, the largest humanitarian aid project of Buckner International, provides new shoes and socks to orphans and vulnerable children in the United States and throughout the world. From conducting shoe drives to humanitarian aid trips, Shoes for Orphan Souls® offers hands-on opportunities to individuals, groups and organizations wanting to transform lives. Since 1999, more than 2.5 million pairs of new shoes and socks have been distributed to children in 74 countries.

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Media Contact:
Jenny Pope/Buckner International
214-758-8068 (office)
214-632-2340 (cell)
jpope@buckner.org

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