June 12, 2000
Buckner kicks off orphan shoe drive
___DALLAS--Buckner Orphan Care International is asking Texas Baptist churches to take steps to help orphan children through the "Shoes for Orphan Souls" drive. Buckner will collect brand-new shoes in August for children living in Russian, Romanian and Chinese orphanages.
___The "Shoes for Orphan Souls" project is a follow-up to the "Shoes for Russian Souls"drive held across Texas last year. The project, which was expected to net 10,000 pairs of new shoes, resulted in 20,000 pairs collected and sent to Russian orphanages. This year's shoe drive leaders hope to meet their goal of 50,000 pairs of shoes by expanding nationally. As part of that expansion, Buckner will rely on churches to serve as collection points for shoes.
A BUCKNER VOLUNTEER places shoes on the feet of a Russian orphan after last year's collection drive, aided in large measure by readers of the Standard.
___Tiffany Taylor, director of the project for Buckner, said the drive "meets a desperate need of children living in orphanages" overseas. "Almost 2 million children reside in orphanages in Russia, Romania and China, and those orphanages are not receiving enough money to care for the children's most basic needs."
___Amy Norton, who led last year's drive, noted that more than 80 percent of 1999 shoe donations came from people of faith, with major support from readers of the Baptist Standard.
___"This was so popular in churches because it was a ministry project that everyone, from small children to seniors, could participate in," Norton said. "Many involved told me that it provided great lesson on ministry and giving to the young people in their churches."
___While most Americans take shoes for granted, children in overseas orphanages have no such luxury, Taylor explained. "Many of our children have shoes for every occasion. I've been in orphanages where I've seen children with only one pair of shoes and those are falling off their feet."
___A June 29 banquet at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas will kick off the Shoes for Orphan Souls campaign. The 7-9 p.m. event in the church's fellowship hall will feature keynote speaker Clint Sharpley and musical performance by Christian artist Jennifer Young. The cost is $15 per person. Reservations may be made by calling (214) 758-8055.
___Buckner has designated August as the "intensive period" of shoe collection because "we're hoping that as people go to buy back-to-school items for their own children, they will buy an extra pair of shoes for these orphans who so desperately need them," Taylor said.
___Buckner Orphan Care International is collecting shoes, socks and shoelaces for the drive.
___Donated items should be for children ages 2-18 and, due to customs regulations, the shoes and socks should be brand new. Needed are warm shoes and winter boots.
___For individuals, church groups or Sunday School classes preferring to make cash donations, a $25 gift will allow Buckner to buy a new pair of shoes and cover distribution costs. Those donations may be made on the Internet by going to www.helporphans.com.
___Taylor emphasized that no donation is too small. "Every pair of shoes makes a big difference to that one child who receives them."
___Volunteers also are being sought to sort shoes or to travel to Russia (Nov. 9-19), Romania (Nov. 2-12) and China (Oct. 6-18) to distribute the shoes and socks.
___Information about the drive, volunteering and establishing your church as a collection point is available toll free at (877) 7-ORPHAN or at www.helporphans.com on the Internet.___
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