Shoes Given to the Needy in San Rafael

For a person living on the street, sleeping in a doorway or camping in open space, one of the most critical things is to have healthy feet. A homeless person spends a large part of the time walking around, and discomfort or sore feet can inhibit that person from functioning. A good pair of shoes can mean the difference between feeling able to move around and spending the day in discomfort or pain; a difference that allows them to work or look for work and get around to the services they need.

Here are a couple of stories from men who recently received donated shoes from Soles4Souls in San Rafael, CA.

Stephen (above) is full of energy and highly motivated to change his circumstances. He camps out on the hill overlooking town, and is out every day looking for work. Because his income is limited, he tends to walk everywhere. Stephen was wearing shoes with holes in the soles. He was thrilled to get out of his very old dress shoes and into something new. The shoes we provided Stephen were comfortable walking shoes.

Julio (above) works in the construction trade, yet work is scarce right now and he can’t afford to keep up rent on a room. He lives outside in the industrial area of town and comes down every morning looking for work from independent contractors. His shoes were old and worn and smelled terrible. He was having a hard time getting around in them. A new pair of shoes and a few pairs of socks put this man in a position to keep working.