Invited Families Across the 500-Square-Mile Palm Springs Unified School District to Receive New Shoes & Critical Resources
PALM SPRINGS — What began as a simple effort to put new shoes on students’ feet, the “Shoes for Students” program from The Foundation for PSUSD has grown into a community resource event that connects the district’s neediest families with vital support — and gives every invited student a new pair of Vans.
More than 97% of students in the Palm Springs Unified School District are at or below poverty, 10% are homeless; shoes are one of the first signs of a child in poverty, according to the Foundation.
Working with Garrett Schaperjahn, Coordinator of PSUSD Student Services, The Foundation has invited more than 900 students and their families to attend. In addition to a new pair of shoes for every student, families will be connected with wraparound resources, including health services, early childhood services, a mini farmers market, teacher-created materials and free books. Additional resources may include a mobile health clinic, area library services, special reading programs, so students can step into the rest of the school year on the right foot.
The invitation-only event took place Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Raymond Cree Middle School, 1011 E. Vista Chino, Palm Springs. Shoes for Students donors include The Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation, Bighorn Cares, the Vista Las Palmas Neighborhood Organization and Bloom in the Desert Ministries. Treats for attendees were provided courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s Palm Springs.
“We’ve been so impressed by how the community has stepped up for our young scholars,” said Eliza Stern, Board Director with The Foundation for PSUSD and co-chair of Shoes for Students. “Denise Petty and I developed this concept with Student Services. What started as a way to help students feel confident and focus on academics, rather than on tattered, ill-fitting shoes, has blossomed into an event that shows how much we can support the entire family throughout the year. As a former teacher, I know academic success starts in the classroom, but students can easily be distracted by so many outside forces. A big part of achievement is health, safety, security and community — and being able to open students’ eyes for ways they can make their world better.”
Fellow Co-chair and Foundation Board Director Denise Petty added that many families need support but don’t know what’s available to them. “We need to get the word out. PSUSD works incredibly hard to make sure these young scholars can reach their full potential by graduation, but that work has to start today. To do that, we need community engagement; it truly takes a village,” Petty said. “It’s hard for people to believe, but 92% of our students are living at or below the poverty line. To move the needle for this next generation and change that statistic, we need everyone to step up.”
Read how new shoes impact academics at: https://www.psusdfoundation.net/post/higher-self-confidence-for-low-income-students-it-s-the-new-shoes
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR PSUSD:
The Foundation for PSUSD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds innovative educational initiatives not covered by tax dollars, creating pathways for students to realize their potential, flourish and prosper. The Foundation and its partners support a dozen initiatives — from robotics and drone training to arts education where students perform alongside Broadway artists, and from college-readiness mentoring and campus tours to wellness centers in schools — all aimed at raising achievement and opening students’ minds to new possibilities. Learn more about Shoes for Students at: https://www.psusdfoundation.net/
Photos courtesy of PSUSD.
