Dallas ISD Receive Thousands of New Shoes for Students Experiencing Homelessness Thanks to Soles4Souls, Cambridge Holdings and Community Partners

DALLAS, Texas – Dallas Independent School District’s Homeless Education Program will receive thousands of new athletic shoes for students experiencing homelessness from global nonprofit Soles4Souls. Through its 4EveryKid program, Soles4Souls partners with local community leaders, philanthropists, and companies to raise the funds needed to provide shoes for this vulnerable population of students.

With the support of Cambridge Holdings and other donors, the program is projected to provide more than 20,000 pairs of shoes and socks to underserved kids over the next five years—with the hopes of expanding the program across the Metroplex to serve every student in need.

The Homeless Education Program provides continuous support to thousands of DISD students experiencing homelessness, with the goal of removing the barriers that prevent them from enrolling, attending, and succeeding in school.

“Footwear is an item that, generally, cannot be purchased through grant funding, so this partnership and initiative is immensely important to fully support the needs of our homeless children and youth,” said Dallas ISD District Homeless Liaison Ashley Marshall.  “We are thankful to Soles4Souls, Cambridge Holdings, and all the community partners who are coming together to ensure our students have one less concern in preparing for school and can focus on their academic performance.”

Since its launch in 2020, Soles4Souls’ 4EveryKid program has shown positive changes in the lives of students experiencing homelessness. After receiving new shoes, students and teachers have reported:

• 92% increase in school attendance and engagement
• 98% increase in confidence
• 80% indicated that they feel more equal to their peersOne local student shared, “These shoes make me feel more confident and it’s a lot easier to walk around because of the nice soles on them”.

  “Soles4Souls is thrilled to expand our 4EveryKid program in Dallas and work directly with the Dallas ISD Homeless Assistance Program to serve students facing homelessness and housing insecurity,” said Buddy Teaster, CEO of Soles4Souls. “Thanks to the support of Cambridge Holdings and many generous donors, we will be able to provide these students new, high-quality sneakers, leveling the playing field with their peers, instilling confidence, and positively influencing their attendance and participation in school.”

  Cambridge Holdings founder and CEO, Jean-Claude Saada said, “We are fortunate to be able to help the most vulnerable kids in our community. Shoes matter in ways that are hard to understand until you don’t have them. This will help keep them in school and feel like they are equal. We are humbled to help lead this effort and grateful to all of those who have contributed to make it possible.”

  The 4EveryKid program is also supported by Lyda Hill Philanthropies as part of its commitment to empowering. Thanks to Cambridge Holdings and Lyda Hill Philanthropies, Soles4Souls has secured sixty percent of its funding goal to serve all students at Dallas ISD during the upcoming school year.

With a donation of $20, you can provide a brand-new pair of athletic shoes for a child in need in the Dallas area and across the United States. For more information on Soles4Souls and 4EveryKid, visit 4EveryKid.org. To donate, please visit https://soles4souls.org/?form=4EK_DFW.