Look Who it Was Random video

Sweet Soles for Love: Shoe donations benefit Tri-State Foster Children

96 views · Published 13 January 2017 · 2:25 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2017 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A community drive to help foster kids in our area is now underway.

You can help by dropping off new pairs of shoes to any Sibcy Cline office in the region.

There is a collection barrel just inside these doors waiting to be filled with brand new pairs of shoes for local foster children.

This is especially important right now because the number of foster kids in Hamilton County and across the country is on the rise due to the heroin epidemic.

There are about 1,700 children in the custody of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, over 1,000 of those are in foster homes.

On Wednesday, there are 321 more kids in agency custody than two years ago.

Many times, these kids arrive at the HCJF with very few, if any, belongings.

A lot of them haven't had a new pair of shoes in a long time and they typically need more than one pair in a year.

You can help by donating to the "Sweet Soles for Love" campaign. Drop off at any of the 22 Sibcy Cline locations in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky through Valentine's Day.

"To be able to give them new shoes, socks, anything that we can give them that's new to take to their new home just really kind of takes away some of the nerves that they are going to have, fear, sadness. It's really traumatic to have left their family. Most of them have seen such trauma in their homes. So, we try to make that transition as smooth as possible,” said Moira Weir, Director of HC Job and Family Services.

"The foster children in our area needed help. It was brought to us and we were excited to be a part of it. It's our 3rd year and it's just a wonderful way that we can help our community,” said Pam Sibcy of Sibcy Cline Realtors.

They're collecting shoes in infant sizes through size '12'. Large sizes are helpful for growing teenagers.

Organizers want the shoes to be practical, so no flip flops or high heels.

This is the third year for the drive.

Last year, Sibcy Cline collected gloves and mittens.

The community donated over 6,000 pairs.

More from this channel