Pasco Staff Collects More Than 1,000 Pairs of Shoes For Children

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – Pasco County employees will help more than 1,000 schoolchildren by providing them shoes and socks ahead of the holiday season.

Through the second annual Two Good Soles Shoes and Socks Drive, a Pasco County Employee Day of Caring initiative, 1,130 pairs of new shoes and 3,260 pairs of new socks were collected. Employees of Pasco County government, Pasco County Constitutional offices and Pasco County schools participated in the effort.

The final shoe and sock count took place at the Two Good Soles event at Ridgewood High School on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The event featured speeches by Pasco County Commissioner Jack Mariano, Pasco County Schools Commissioner Kurt Browning and other local dignitaries.

Cathy Pearson, the assistant county administrator for Pasco County Public Services, said she was surprised to find from Pasco County Schools that shoes and socks were one of the biggest needs for their schoolchildren.

“Hearing the stories of what the new shoes and socks mean for so many students is humbling, and we’re so proud to donate even more this year,” she said.

In its first year, the goal was to collect 500 pairs of new shoes in 2016. Pasco County employees collected 1,117 pairs of new shoes and 1,583 pairs of new socks last year.

“I think about how many pairs of shoes I stumble over when I go into my closet in the morning,” Browning said. “That isn’t often the case for the kids we serve. On behalf of Pasco District Schools, I want to thank Pasco County employees and Constitutional Offices for truly making a difference in the lives of so many Pasco County children.”

Pasco County Schools counselors will distribute the shoes and socks to children in need ahead of the holiday season.

For more information on Pasco County Public Services, visit http://www.pascocountyfl.net/Index.aspx?NID=250.

Images via Pasco County, Florida, Government Facebook page