High School student Emily Inch is the founder of Soles For Kids Shoe Drive. This is an organization the South Mecklenburg student starting back in 2017. Inch wanted to raise awareness about homelessness in Queen City. This a very charitable and giving thing to do and help out those people so much less fortunate. It’s a caring and kind gesture of “paying it forward.” It’s better to give than receive and sadly more people aren’t out there in society making a loving gesture like Inch.
Homelessness
There were more than 3,000 people experiencing homelessness in the Charlotte area. This is a number that continues to increase since the COVID-19 pandemic. The above-mentioned information was gathering by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Housing and Homelessness dashboard as of January 2021.
The Rat Issue
Moreover, a rat issue has taken over a homeless camp near Uptown’s Tent City. It is being vacated to control the rat issue by city officials. In fact, homeless has been a reoccurring issue plaguing the Queen City.
Emily Inch has a Strong Social Conscious
For years, one Charlotte resident has had homelessness on her mind for years.
Inch wanted to help those less fortunate and provide a way to have comfortable shoes to wear during the winter and summer months.
She was able to collect nearly 2,000 new and gently used shoes for those in need in 2019 alone. This was thanks to grants from the Disney Summer of Service program as well as help from the community.
Her goal is to donate 4,500 shoes for those in need at Charlotte’s Crisis Assistance Ministries.
Inspiring other young girls to give back and expand her reach is Inch’s objective.
From the seed of an Idea, a Plant will Grow Tall
“I want to spread outside of North Carolina which is my end goal,” Inch Said. “I want the organization to expand in future years and maybe become a nonprofit.”
To help Soles for Kids Shoe Drive reach its goal by July 10, visit https://www.facebook.com/SolesforKidsShoeDrive/ or on Instagram: @solesforkids