Buckner Valley Shoe Drive Reaches Final Week

Nonprofit program Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls is engaging the community to collect new shoes for vulnerable children as part of its first annual Rio Grande Valley Shoe Drive. During the month of October, donation bins will be located across the Valley.

With one week left in the drive, businesses, schools, churches and organizations in the Rio Grande Valley are still hosting drop-off locations for new shoes and socks. Community partners are displaying Buckner collection boxes at their location during the drive dates and helping to advertise the drive within the community.

Current collection sites include Little Heroes Pediatric Dentistry locations in Mission and San Juan, First Baptist Church in Pharr, Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen, Avondale Baptist Church in McAllen, First Baptist Church of Los Fresnos, and more. A full list of drop-off locations is included at the bottom of Buckner.org/RGVShoeDrive.

“I am excited by all the organizations helping to collect shoes in the Valley,” said Rachel Wallis, director of Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls. “The drive has been an especially great opportunity for local schools to become more involved in community service and gain volunteer hours for their students involved in National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society.”

All donated shoes for children and teens must be brand new. The greatest need is for new athletic shoes, boys’ sizes 1-5 and girls’ sizes 4-5, but all sizes are accepted. Cash donations are also accepted and will help provide new shoes and cover distribution costs.

Every pair of shoes collected from the drive will remain in the Valley and be distributed locally to vulnerable children throughout the year.

The final drop-off days are Oct. 30 and 31 at the Buckner Rio Grande Children’s Home, located at 3780 N. Bentsen Palm Dr. in Mission.