Stuff a Cruiser

On Saturday, April 9 from 9:30am-12:30pm, we will be hosting a "Stuff a Cruiser" event.  Our goal is to stuff a police cruiser full of shoes and boots that will be given to the homeless at our foot care clinic. We need both children and adult sneakers and hiking boots(no dress shoes) that are in LIKE-NEW condition (no holes or worn tread). Community Partners in Action will also be collecting cash donations that will be used to purchase new shoes. For every $25 donated, Fleet Feet will also donate a pair of shoes to the drive. 

Some of the greatest things to happen in this world are the result of the smallest of ideas and gestures. In this case, it all started with a random act of kindness by Officer Jim Barrett of the Hartford Police Department. 

 

Officer Barrett is also an Iraqi War Veteran and an advocate for the city's homeless.  Moved by a homeless vet whose only shoes this winter were a pair of disintegrating flip-flops, Officer Barrett bought him a pair of new sneakers, bringing to light a need for decent footwear among Hartford's homeless. While winter coats are often available through local coat drives, decent shoes are not. Foot care is also in short supply yet sorely needed for this population who rely on their feet to find shelter, safety and a hot meal.  

 

Officer Barrett connected with the non-profit Community Partners in Action and Abby Moore, a long-time Fleet Feet customer and supporter who asked if Fleet Feet would donate some shoes. We dropped off about 60 pairs of like-new shoes and were astonished to learn that the shoes had all found homes within several days. Clearly there is a huge need - a need that we can't fulfill alone.

 

After an afternoon brainstorm session with Abby in the Fleet Feet parking lot and a flurry of phone calls, Footwear with Care was born in partnership with Community Partners in Action, the Hartford Police Department, the Connecticut Podiatric Medical Association and Fleet Feet Sports.  Since then, we have received a grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, as well as support from Footprints of Newington, Mickey Finn's, REI, Saucony, New Balance, Asics and The North Face. 

 

Our mission is to provide holistic foot care to homeless men, women and children. Several times a year, we are going to host foot clinics where the homeless will have their feet screened by podiatrists and receive new socks, shoes and foot care items - all for free.  Our first clinic is scheduled for Saturday, April 23 at Holy Trinity Church in Hartford. We expect to serve 100 individuals which means we need your help!

 

This Saturday, we will be hosting a "Stuff a Cruiser" event from 9:30am-12:30pm at the store.  Our goal is to stuff a police cruiser full of shoes and boots that will be given to the homeless at our foot care clinic. We need both children and adult sneakers and hiking boots(no dress shoes) that are in LIKE-NEW condition (no holes or worn tread). Community Partners in Action will also be collecting cash donations that will be used to purchase new shoes. For every $25 donated, Fleet Feet will also donate a pair of shoes to the drive. 

 

Together we can make a difference in our community - one shoe at a time!