Community rallies to put new shoes on feet of thousands of Palm Springs area students ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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*Ellen Goodman, director of The Foundation for PSUSD, wears a shoe costume during an event Thursday that saw hundreds of students receive new shoes at school district headquarters.*

The Foundation for Palm Springs Unified School District held its largest single shoe distribution event Thursday, handing out between 300 and 500 pairs of new shoes to students as part of a campaign to provide 2,500 pairs of footwear to the district’s disadvantaged population.

The foundation raised nearly $40,000 to purchase the shoes through community donations and partnerships. Thursday’s event at the PSUSD offices represented the largest single distribution effort, with the remaining shoes to be distributed individually at school sites through October.

“Shoes are one of those basic needs that many take for granted, but not having proper footwear can be a constant source of embarrassment, distraction, and alienation,” said Ellen Goodman, director of The Foundation for PSUSD, explaining the reasoning behind the foundation’s annual distribution event.

The program targets students in a district where 97% are socioeconomically disadvantaged and between 10% and 12% are homeless. Most recipients on hand Thursday were from families without permanent housing in the area.

“Shoes are one of the first signs of a child in poverty, and what many in our community don’t realize is that 97% of our students are socioeconomically disadvantaged and between 10-12% are homeless,” Goodman said. “And when a family experiences economic hardship, either chronically or because of an emergency, they have to make choices on how to spend their precious resources. And necessities, like putting dinner on the table, become the priority over much needed shoes.”

This year, the foundation partnered with Vans to purchase 2,500 pairs of the company’s “Old Skool” style shoes. Both Vans and Converse were distributed Thursday, while Ben & Jerry’s representatives handed out ice cream.

Student Services identified recipients based on need and invited the 2,500 students and their families to the celebratory fitting event. The recipients represent more than 10% of the district’s student population.

City Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein assists a recipient of new shoes Thursday. Both Bernstein and Councilmember Grace Garner volunteered at the event.

Donors supporting the program include the City of Palm Springs, Bighorn Golf Club Charities, Greater Palm Springs Realtors, Anderson Children’s Foundation, Bloom in the Desert Ministries, Little Beverly Hills Neighborhood Organization, the Ponicsan Household, and readers of The Post.

Goodman said that while the shoe program is not the foundation’s largest initiative, it ranks among the most impactful. The Palm Springs Unified School District serves more than 20,000 students across 27 campuses covering 214 square miles.