VERMILION PARISH — Nearly 400 students at Eaton Park Elementary in Abbeville received brand-new shoes Friday morning as part of a community partnership aimed at supporting children in need.
Volunteers from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana, Healthy Blue Louisiana and other local organizations teamed up with Operation Warm, a national nonprofit that provides clothing and shoes to children.
Students were able to pick out, try on and be fitted for their new shoes before returning to class with footwear to take home.
Eaton Park Principal Amber Wine said the giveaway had an immediate impact on her students.
“They are getting a pair of shoes and it makes them feel important,” Wine said. “It makes them not have to focus on, ‘I can’t participate in PE today because I don’t have shoes today.’ The little things like that go such a long way, and they’re able to go to class and feel that they can be successful. This community partnership is such a blessing to us because it allows our teachers to be able to teach them, at the same time that it makes our kids feel important and special.”
Operation Warm says its mission is to provide warmth, confidence and hope to children nationwide through clothing and shoe giveaways. Similar events are scheduled for next week in Calcasieu Parish and North Louisiana.
