StorageMart, an owner and operator of self-storage facilities throughout the United States and Canada, recently collected shoes for a foster-care awareness campaign sponsored by the Central Missouri Foster Care & Adoption Association (CMFCAA). The storage company’s six locations in Columbia and Jefferson City, Mo., hosted a “Shoe In for Foster Care” drive from April 9 through May 12.

As part of national Foster-Care Awareness Month, recognized May 1-31, CMFCAA’s goal was to collect at least 10,000 pairs of shoes, each representing one of the children currently in foster-care programs in Missouri. Ultimately, 4,800 pairs of shoes were collected and lined up on the lawn of the Missouri State Capitol Building in Jefferson City on May 13. CMFCAA staff members were available during the event to promote the organization and answer questions about the state’s foster-care program.

“The goal was to advocate for, raise awareness of and find forever families for Missouri’s foster children,” said Nicole Elliott, CMFCAA’s program director. “We were excited to see so many people come out to support us and were thrilled at how many people stopped and asked how they could best make a difference in a child’s life.”

Following the event, the shoes were donated to Hope for Caribbean Kids Inc., an organization that works in coordination with the Shoeman Water Project to help fund the building of schools in Haiti and the creation of clean-water programs in Haiti and Kenya.

“StorageMart has been a longtime friend and supporter of CMFCAA and Hope for Caribbean Kids,” said Sarah Little, marketing director for StoreMart. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to play a role in an event that not only benefits local communities, but also creates a ripple effect across the world.”

Founded in 2007 by former foster children and parents, CMFCAA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, supporting and advocating for foster care and adoptive children in Central Missouri. The organization is assisting more than 640 foster families and 1,400 foster children across 13 counties.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Columbia, Mo., StorageMart owns and operates more than 149 self-storage properties in the United States and Canada.

Sources: